You are left with a sense of emptiness even though you’ve accomplished everything on your list.

Lists generate a lot of activity that is largely unfulfilling. Let go of busy-ness. Spend your time engaging in meaningful activities that nourish your life.

Completing your most fulfilling tasks first sends a message to your being that you are successful. It reinforces that you can accomplish what you set your mind to. It gives you the confidence needed to reach your goals.

Identify what is important to you and do the activities that support this idea first.

Build Mental Space

Mental space gives you the capacity to hold the complete picture in your mind, yet execute effectively in the moment. At any point you are fully engaged in the task at hand, and in your mind there is a clear mental picture of all that is necessary for you to succeed.

It gives you the ability to move with ease and grace throughout your activities without being overwhelmed.

Interconnect Your Life

When you weave your life together, the party that you have to go to for your spouse’s friend becomes social time for you as well. Rather than sit on the sidelines watching the kids play, spend some time engaging in conversation with the hosts. Get together with the moms alone so that you can enjoy the friendship these women offer.

An integral life that is woven like a tapestry is stronger and more fulfilling. You leverage your time because you are completing multiple tasks. In addition, the whole activity is more enriching than the sum of the individual tasks.

Without meaning to brag, at 52 I am virtually wrinkle free and pore less with a porcelain complexion.

I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you that staying out of the sun has played a major role in my youthful skin.  I’m a natural redhead and cannot tan to save my life.  Fortunately I gave up even trying while in my teens.

However, I recently watched an about.com video – from a dermatologist no less – on how to wash your skin and found it so filled with misinformation that I decided to write this article.

First off, as a teen and even through my twenties, thirties and forties, I had an extremely oily complexion, owing mainly to genetics.  Having such oily, acne-prone (and we’re talking cystic acne here) taught me, early on, the real secrets to good skincare.

So, what is my main secret?  Absolutely scrupulously clean skin at all times.

You don’t get scrupulously clean skin by a few splashes over a basin.  If you did, you wouldn’t be able to use a clarifying lotion, such as Clinique’s, following “washing” your face, only to have your cotton ball come away filthy with grime.

I shower.  Twice a day.  During my shower I wash my face two to three times.

In my younger days I used a Buff Puff to exfoliate.  When I got older I used a milder Buff Puff.  I now use a complexion brush.  Until I was 50 I used an oily skin formula soap.  Now I use a milder soap, but I still do use soap.  I don’t believe that you get scrupulously clean skin with any cleanser.

I follow up with a light, oil free moisturizer, such as Nars Vitamin Serum.  Lately I’ve been using Osmotics serums.

I wear an oil free foundation and never, ever go to bed with makeup on.

My second secret is knowing that what goes into your body is as important as what goes onto your skin.  I supplement daily with a hefty dose of fish oil.

And that’s it.

I began “forgetting” my homework and stopped studying for tests so I could fit in with the popular crowd. Then my Spanish teacher cornered me privately to ask why I was holding myself back. I burst into tears, but she made me realize that my actions were only hurting my future, not helping me become popular. That conversation still serves as a reminder to me that there’s nothing wrong with being true to yourself and letting your own light shine. In fact, that can lead you to even greater success.

Many smart, successful women once shared this same fear of being seen as conceited. Even Oprah Winfrey recalls a time in third grade when she earned praise from a teacher and the other students whispered, “she thinks she’s so smart.” Although Winfrey hated to be seen as full of herself, she has worked through those feelings because she understands the truth about hiding your light.

Too much humility can hurt your business.

I see many adults, especially women, still struggling to let their light shine (or not trying at all). One of my coaching clients, whom I’ll call Kristy, has a six-figure business, but she shared with me her desire to grow her business to even greater heights. Each session, we’d outline steps that would help her grow her business, and she’d agree to them. Then we’d meet again, and she’d admit that she hadn’t moved forward. Something was holding her back. As we dug deeper, we discovered that Kristy’s fear of being called too big for her britches or overly ambitious kept her business from taking off.

Only when I convinced her that achieving success and helping more people was her destiny did she agree to truly step it up and work toward her goals.

It’s time for you!

Every one of us is born with a gift to share with the world. Many people choose mediocrity, because that makes it easier to fit in at school and in the wider world. But mediocrity does not lead to success. If you’ve begun to feel restless or wonder if there might be something more out there, it’s not too late.

I’ve found that allowing myself to shine has come more from letting things go than from taking more things on. Ponder these questions: what doesn’t fit you anymore? Your current business? Job? Friends? Activities? Responsibilities? Hobbies? Clothes? Let go of what doesn’t feel like the true you, and soon you’ll find your true self emerging.

I now realize that my (and everyone’s) true purpose is to be filled with all of who I am. To truly shine brightly.

© 2009 Ali International, LLC
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This article courtesy of Ali International, LLC. Self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur and Inc. 500 CEO Ali Brown is devoted to creating financial freedom for women globally through the power of entrepreneurship. To learn how to create wealth and live an extraordinary life now, register for her free weekly articles at www.AliBrown.com