5 Ways to CRUSH the Naysayers!

Anyone that has ever aspired to be anything less than traditional has been faced with discouragement in one form or another. If you live in an RV fulltime and homeschool your kids, chances are you have already traveled on Negativity Highway with friends and family members. In a world where many look to others for the measurement of success, it is easy to follow the dreams of another. Commonly, achievements of the modern American family are based on the size of a house, the level of participation in extracurricular activities, and estimated annual income as evidenced by beautiful pictures on social media accounts.

As a fulltime traveling roadschool mom, I have faced my fair share of naysayers. In the beginning, I was respectful and complacent. I listened to the many forms of less than encouraging words and looked away from the faces of disapproval. To be honest, sometimes I wondered why in the world I wasn’t satisfied with the rat race that everyone else seemed to be enjoying. For many months, I tried to paint the picture of my life so that others would see it in the same light. When I came across this quote from author, John Eliot, I was immediately inspired:

“History shows us that the people who end up changing the world – the great political, social, scientific, technological, artistic, even sports revolutionaries – are always nuts, until they are right, and then they are geniuses.”

From that day, I found these five ways to intentionally CRUSH the naysayers from my everyday life:

• Consider the source. I take a close look at cynical conversation and quickly analyze if I want to be where that person is in his or her life. If the person I am talking to is not an expert or has experience in the subject, I discount the advice being given. I do not let someone steer me down the path of their own dreams or more importantly, away from their own fears. A short evaluation of the naysayer’s background will undoubtedly lead you in the opposite direction.
• Remember your vision. Think about your dreams. Tackle your fears. The best way to do all of these things is to surround yourself with enablers. Instead of facing negativity, invest your time with positivity. How can you expect to do amazing things unless you have amazing dreams? Reflect on your past, concentrate on the present, and look to the future while always keeping the prize in focus.
• Understand your position. You are the person who holds the key to your destiny. Decide who you want to be, not what you want to be. Lewis Carroll once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, then any road will get you there.” By developing a strong sense of who you are and the goals you have for yourself, following a clear path to success will come naturally.
• Safeguard your aspirations by keeping your goals from the killjoy that is waiting to tear apart your ambitions.  Naysayers are skeptical in nature and will do nothing more than inject negative energy into your otherwise positive existence.  They will point out all the horror stories that may possibly occur while weighing you down with emotional baggage. Your dreams are precious, keep them safe and free from the suffocation of a wet blanket.
• Have faith.When I intentionally activate my faith, I am reminded that I will persevere. I am aware of my fears but do not let them serve as a guide to where I go or will not go.  Fear is only faith that something will not work out. Do not let the naysayers voice of gloom snuff out the spark that ignites the fire of your dreams. Energize yourself with faith and carry on!

There will be trials and tribulations in everyday life. Routinely, road blocks will require detours in the journey ahead. Being intentional in achieving your goals and crushing naysayers from your immediate future will put keep you moving in the right direction of your dreams.

To hear more about tuning out the naysayers in your life, tune into the July 26th episode of Roadschool Moms over at iTunes!

Roadschool Moms is a live, one-hour weekly broadcast dedicated to the needs and challenges facing today’s roadschool moms. Kimberly Travaglino, of Fulltime Families, and Mary Beth Goff, the Road Trip Teacher, team up every week to offer listeners a fresh take on homeschooling while traveling full time, working in current events and featuring a mix of expert guests.