Lyn Bailey – Life by Design

Author: Lyn Bailey

  • Fears That Hold You Back From Finishing What You Start

    Fears That Hold You Back From Finishing What You Start

    Do you constantly find yourself starting a project you have every intention of finishing, and then you simply don’t finish it?

    This failure to finish could simply be you harboring several fears that are holding you back from finishing what you start.

    Fear Of Failure

    The fear of failure is one of the most common fears people deal with. Almost everyone will experience it at some point in their life. This fear with undoubtedly hold you back from finishing what you start.

    This fear will hold you back from doing what needs to be done to conquer things that may be difficult or out of your comfort zone. The fear of failure often leads to procrastination. So, to conquer your procrastination habit, it’s time first to learn to face your fear of failure.

    Fear Of Losing Something

    Although this fear isn’t as common as a fear of failure, one of the reasons you may be putting something off is because of your fear of losing something. Whenever you complete a project, you will be putting yourself through changes.

    This change can be scary and may cause you to fear losing something you currently have in your life. It would be best if you overcome this fear. Change is good and realizing this is important. Even if you do lose some things along the way, you are working towards something bigger and better.

    Fear That Others Will Judge You

    Another common fear is that your peers will judge you. And this one, unfortunately, could be true. If you have goals, dreams, and aspirations that might seem odd to other people, you may put them off or give up on them forever.

    You might want to learn to ski but put it off because you are afraid others might judge your beginner attempts. That was me for many years, then, in my mid forties, I faced the fear and did it anyway. Not only did I improve on my beginner attempts, but I ended up loving it. It opened up a whole new world for me as I took to skiing around the world! Have you been put off by peer pressure?

    Part of life is accepting that you are okay if people judge you and your actions. You know who you are and what you are doing, so don’t let others’ perceptions of you change your behaviour.

    Overall, if you are struggling to finish something you’ve already started, it’s probably because of one of these internal fears. The best way to work towards finishing what you start is by learning to conquer these three fears so that you can go on to be successful in all of your endeavours.

    What fears are holding you back, or stopping you from doing something you love?

    I would love to hear them. If you need help to overcome any of these fears, then click HERE to book a FREE Discovery Call with me.

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  • 5 Essential Tips to Finish What You Start

    5 Essential Tips to Finish What You Start

    5 Essential Tips to Finish What You Start

    Do you struggle to finish projects? Are you currently struggling with a specific project (or ten) in your life that you can’t seem to finish? Let me guess, do you have more than a few household tasks on your to-do list?

    Don’t worry – you aren’t alone. Many people struggle to follow through on their tasks. Here are five essential tips to help you finish what you’ve started.

    1. Make A Plan

    First and foremost, the number one way to finish everything you start is by making a plan before you start. A well-thought-out plan ensures you will be aware of the work your project requires and have an idea of how you will proceed. It is also a good time to break the project into smaller chunks to make it easier to conquer. Don’t forget to take some time to brainstorm potential problems you may encounter along the way.

    1. Take A Break

    If you feel overstressed at some point during your project, and it leads to other negative feelings like frustration, it’s okay to take a break. A break is a great way to refresh both your body and mind. Get hydrated, move around, find some time to take in the present world around you.

    1. Identify Your Distractions

    Maybe you’re finding every reason under the sun not to work on your project. It’s time to identify these distractions and how they may be affecting you. If the distraction is easily removed, remove it. If it’s more of a mental distraction, it may be time to look into something like meditation to help you clear your mind. Whatever your distractions are, it’s time to identify and eliminate them so you can focus on your goal.

    1. Track Your Progress

    Many projects remain unfinished because they are long, and you lose sight of the end goal somewhere in the middle. To maintain motivation, you need to track your progress on the goal as you go. You may even want to consider rewarding yourself for a job well done at certain points to maintain your motivation.

    1. Visualise The End

    Even if you are tracking your project, you may find that you’ve lost sight of your end goal. This is why you should frequently spend time visualizsing your end goal in your mind. It will help you remember why you are working on your goal in the first place.

    Finishing what you start is never easy, but if you follow these five essential tips, you may find that you can finish it with ease the next time you start a project.

    If you struggle to finish what you start, click HERE for a FREE Discovery Call to find out how to complete your projects.

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  • 3 Steps to Finish What You Start

    3 Steps to Finish What You Start

    3 Steps to Finish What You Start

    Do you often struggle to finish the projects you start, even when you have every intention of finishing them?

    Believe it or not, this is a common problem that most people face. Luckily, you can follow a few steps to ensure that you can become the type of person who finishes a project once you start it.

    1. Make A Plan

    The first step to finishing a task is making sure you have a plan at the beginning. It needs to be a plan which you write down. A mental note isn’t worth the piece of paper it is written on. You may want to jump in and start something in your excitement, but you might not realize all the work and challenges you will face. When you take the time to make a plan, this will better prepare you for the task at hand, and you’ll be able to spot problems much more easily.

    1. Take A Break

    If you find yourself getting overly frustrated or beginning to loathe the project because you’ve been working on it for so long, it’s okay to take a short break. This break will help reset your mind and focus. You might even be able to solve some of the problems you are facing while you take this little breather. Just make sure that when you set an endpoint to your break, this way you can hold yourself to it and not just abandon the project.

    1. Make Small Goals and Rewards For Yourself

    As you plan how you will conquer your task or project, break your goal into smaller mini-goals. Then, cross them off and reward yourself as you complete them. It will help keep you on task, and you’ll be able to feel as if you are making progress, even if it’s small.  This progress will do wonders to keep your spirits high while working on the project. The little rewards you are giving yourself will probably help too.

    So next time you get excited about a new project or goal in your life, slow down a bit and make a plan, complete with smaller goals and rewards for yourself. Then, as you pursue the project, don’t be afraid to take small breaks if you need to recuperate. Chances are, thanks to these three steps, you will be much more likely to finish your new goal than leave it abandoned.

    If you struggle to finish what you start, click HERE for a FREE Discovery Call to find out how to complete your projects.

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  • Are You Ready to Move Forward with Your Life?

    Are You Ready to Move Forward with Your Life?

    Are You Ready to Move Forward with Your Life?  

    Every day of your life is a new opportunity. Whether you’re going through an upheaval, merely surviving, or you’re just bored, moving forward with your life is much more satisfying than simply “moving on.” So, if you’re ready to move forward with your life, follow these steps.

    Stop Expecting Easy

    You may have heard the saying, “If it were easy, everyone would do it.” Unfortunately, many things in life are daunting. Self-development is one of those things. This is because there is a learning curve and there may be challenges concerning maintaining a steady progress, especially if you’re just getting started.

    It’s not always easy to get to know who you are. Examine past traumas and experiences. Weed through your inner conflicts, and fight to become who you want to be. While this is not easy, it is a straightforward process that can lead you to succeed.

    Stop Living in The Past

    While you want to understand why you think and do certain things, avoid living in the past. Address the past by accepting that it happened. Work through your past by getting treatment for things that negatively affect your current situations. However, don’t allow yourself to live in the past because the contentment you seek is in the here and now.

    When you focus on the present and learn from the past, you ensure that you’re well cared for. And when you do that, your future is almost certainly taken care of too. After all, the actions you take today informs your future. All you can get from the past is a list of actions you took that worked versus actions you took that did not. Let the rest go.

    Stop Waiting for Perfection

    If you’ve heard yourself described as a perfectionist, don’t take it as a compliment. It’s not. The best time to begin your next goal is now. There is no perfect outcome even if you follow your plans to a T. There is no time like now for getting started on anything you want to do.

    Instead of thinking thoughts like, “I’ll be happy when I reach my weight loss goal.” Or “I’ll start my business when my child is older.” Anytime you start a thought with “I’ll do this when…” stop yourself because most of the time, there is no real reason for putting your goals off.

    Stop Doubting

    One way to squash doubt is to do your due diligence regarding research for all your goals. Here’s the thing, if it’s possible for someone, it’s probably also possible for you. There are very few cases where only one person can do something. You can learn anything you want to learn and do whatever you want to do or at least something close to it.

    Start Planning and Doing

    Once you let go of the fact that life can be hard, and the past harmed you, and perfection, and release yourself from doubt, you can start planning by learning how to set goals in a way that leaves you with an innovative action plan that gets results. Then, use that plan to start the most critical thing in your life, the doing. Doing will move you forward more than anything else.

    After you let go of expectations and stop focusing on the impossible, you’ll see success. Once you create specific goals and follow your plan, you’ll finally start experiencing success. But don’t skip the very last step. You really must “do” to move forward in your life

     if you want to find out how you can start moving forward, then click HERE to book a strategy session for just $49.00!

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  • Five Reasons You Need a Personal Development Plan

    Five Reasons You Need a Personal Development Plan

    A personal development plan is like a roadmap. It assists you in finding your purpose and developing your strengths. It also gives you the confidence needed to get out of your comfort zone. A good personal development plan will also help you improve your self-awareness. This combination will ensure that you know your potential and live up to it with intention.

    Discover Your Purpose

    On the road to self-discovery, most people want to know why they are here. If you want to know your purpose in life, focus on your personal development and create a written personal development plan to help you find it.

    As you discover what makes you think the way you do, challenge your thoughts, and decide what facts you’ll use to make sound decisions. When you do this, you may come across additional information that will lead you to closer to your purpose. You are more likely to feel good about the ideas you have and actions you take each day because you know they will have a particular impact.

    Develop Your Strengths

    Once you discover your strengths as you study yourself and pay close attention to how you feel about your actions, you’ll know what to develop. Focusing on what you are already good at is always preferable to focus on where you are lacking.

    Getting additional training, practicing, and learning from others regarding the things you’re already good at doing is a much more pleasurable and successful way to approach your life. You’re naturally good at something that gives you joy and makes you better. So, you may as well use your natural gifts.

    Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

    While you do want to focus on what you are already good at doing, sometimes it takes time to see what that is. Getting out of your comfort zone has nothing to do with forcing yourself to focus on things you aren’t good at doing. Instead, it may mean simply showing someone else what you’re good at.

    Boost Your Confidence

    As you develop yourself, you’ll start experiencing success, and that experience will boost your confidence exponentially. Part of personal development is focusing on learning to have a positive mindset, taking the best care of yourself, and reveling in your skills and experience. When your confidence is strong, you’ll free yourself from paralyzing self-doubt and negative thoughts and emotions. You can’t help but become strong when you craft and follow a plan based on self-discovery and your goals.

    Improve Your Self-Awareness

    Since personal development is all about you, getting to know who you are is especially important. Knowing who you are will allow you to know and lead with your strengths so that you can cope with your weaknesses, realistically and kindly, without lying to yourself or others about who you are. Self-awareness is the ultimate precursor to authenticity.

    You also need a personal development plan because you’re much more likely to succeed at anything when you have a plan. A personal development plan is a documented set of facts and information to help guide and direct you through the actions and habits that make up your life. For example, if you want to succeed at any dream, it starts with a goal. Then, through smart goal setting, your goals become a plan that you can follow, track, and even change throughout your life while remaining focused on your ultimate dreams and goals.

    As the are now in our second quarter of the year, if you want to find out how a personal development plan can help you live a happier life, then click HERE to book a strategy session for just $49.00!

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  • Live a Happier Life

    Live a Happier Life

    How to Shift Your Perspective to Live a Happier Life

    Drama, stress, and other challenging obstacles or situations will always be a natural part of your life. It is highly unlikely you can avoid them altogether, but you can control how they affect or take over your life.

    A change in perspective can be a driving force in allowing you to live an easier and happier life. Of course, this is easier to talk about than to really do, but with a few simple ideas and actions, you can make a change for the better that sustains your lifelong happiness and success.

    The following are some common techniques to help shift your perspective to ultimately live a happier life:

     Only Focus on What You Can Control

    The notion of what you can and cannot control is by far the most important concept to understand and live by. Other people’s actions, thoughts, and opinions will never be something you can fully gain control of. You might be able to guide and influence them for a little, but this won’t be sustainable or achievable in all aspects of life. However, you do have the ability to control your attitude, efforts, and emotions.

     Switch Dread Around

    Instead of focusing on the negativity or harmful aspects of the situation, find ways to reverse it. Instead of dreading it, find areas you can appreciate or learn from. Highlight the lesson or knowledge you gained.

    For example, maybe you failed the live presentation you worked hard on for months. While it’s okay and normal to feel disappointed, don’t allow those feelings to take over your life completely. Instead, acknowledge the areas that went wrong and use that newfound information to do even better the next time.

    Ditch The “All or Nothing” Mindset 

    Stop expecting the worst or creating expectations that are too high for yourself. Even if you don’t achieve every single step, you will become discouraged if you only focus on the things you can’t or won’t have versus all the things you do have, worked hard to get, and eventually will get in the future.

     It’s important to note that happiness is personal and something that must be found within. You must work towards it and actively seek or make changes when needed to achieve it. Get out and experiment more, be true to yourself, and always try to stay positive by acknowledging reality and where you fit into it.

    As the first quarter of the year is almost over, if you want to find out how you can live a happier life for the next quarter, then click HERE to book a strategy session for just $49.00!

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  • 7 Steps to Focus

    7 Steps to Focus

    7 Steps to Focus

    How do you get the most out of your day?
    Where do you find the extra hours you want to pursue your passion or live your life to the fullest?
    What is the secret to unlocking that extra time to do what you love to do, instead of what you think you have to do?
    Women are very capable of multitasking. As mothers, we are even more capable of it. Employers encourage it. Unfortunately, statistics show that multitasking decreases our productivity, no matter what we are doing.
    “About 2.5% of subjects can multitask without performing worse at either task, in controlled studies. These are being dubbed “supertaskers.””
    Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 5/2010
    While many people aspire to be “supertaskers”, only 2.5% succeed. For the rest of us, that means that we decrease our focus and attention on each of the tasks we are tackling at any given time. How do we change this, I hear you ask. The answer is simple – FOCUS.

    7 Steps to Focus
    1. Have Goals – know what you want. Set clear, concise goals so that you know what you want and when you want it.
    2. Avoid Multitasking – multitasking is not the best use of your time. Block out 1-2 hour blocks to focus on your goal.
    3. Take Regular Breaks – give yourself a short 5 minute break every hour to keep yourself rested and hydrated.
    4. Identify Distractions – identify your 3 greatest distractions and take steps to eliminate them.
    5. To Do list – this will keep you on track as you will always know what the next step is.
    6. Keep Your Eyes and Mind on the Prize –Focus on the end result until you achieve it. This will keep you motivated and moving forward towards your goal.
    7. Reward Yourself – Decide at the outcome how you will reward yourself when you achieve your goal, then reward yourself on completion. You deserve it!
    Go for it now. Start to give yourself time to see the Power of Focus as you incorporate it into your day and your life.

    If you need  help in changing OR any of these in your life right now, book  a FREE 30 minute Strategy Session HERE.

     

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  • 7 Questions To Ask When You Think You’re Procrastinating

    7 Questions To Ask When You Think You’re Procrastinating

     

    Do you sometimes find yourself making that second cup of coffee instead of taking action to get you moving towards your desired outcome? If so, you are not alone. I have done just that this morning. My intention was to get this blog written and published today. I had set myself a schedule to do this from 9-10.30am. So, what did I do at 9am? I made myself a cup of coffee, then decided to read  some emails, did some Facebook posts, chatted to a friend I finished my coffee, then decided to make a second one. I realised that I was procrastinating. Why was I doing this? I asked myself the first question below.Is writing a blog exciting enough to get me out of my comfy chair to sit at my desk, The answer was NO. So I asked myself what would make writing a blog my exciting for me. The answer that came up for me was this. “I am writing this blog to help those people who are holding themselves back from achieving their full potential, so that they can start to take action to turn their dreams into reality and make this the best, most successful and productive year of their lives.” Now, I am excited to be sitting at my desk writing this blog post starting at 10.30 with enthusiasm and gratitude.

    If you struggle with procrastination, you know the detrimental effects it can have on goal achievement. But instead of beating yourself up for failing to get going, consider a different approach. Here are seven questions that will help you overcome procrastination and achieve higher levels of success.

    1- Do your goals excite you?

    First, ask whether your goals excite you. You may think you’re procrastinating when the problem is you’re not motivated.

    There are tasks we all have to complete daily. Not all of them are thrilling. But if your goal is to finish your book by the end of the year, for example, and you find yourself struggling to get going? Consider that the problem may be that you lack passion for the project itself, not your overall drive.

    To remedy this, think of other tasks in your life. Are you generally unable to get going? Or is it with just one or two things that you find dull and boring?

    Perhaps you need new goals.

    2- Are you healthy?

    Next, ask yourself if you’ve taken care of your health. It’s much easier to find the energy to work on long-term goals when you’re eating nutritious foods, drinking enough water, and getting enough daily exercise.

    On the other hand, if you’ve got too many poor habits like drinking too much alcohol, remaining sedentary, and eating poorly, your issue could be your health.

    If you can improve your health and wellness routine, do so. See if that helps give you enough energy to avoid procrastination.

    3- What could you get done if you quit procrastinating?

    Third, it’s time to daydream for a second. Think of all the juicy details behind what you might be able to accomplish if you quit procrastinating.

    Could you finally have that dream body you’ve been craving? Might you get that promotion at work? Will you, at last, start your side business?

    Sometimes all you need is a gentle reminder of how good life is on the other side of effort.

    4- Can you reframe it as an opportunity?

    Next, you may find it useful to reframe the situation. Let’s say you dread going to the gym. Could you think of how lucky you are to have such an opportunity, instead of thinking of the negative?

    How fantastic is it that you have the funds to afford a gym membership? How grateful are you that you have a healthy enough body to move around, run, lift, stretch, and sweat? Isn’t it outstanding that even if you’re busy, you can make the time to engage in self-care practices such as this?

    It’s not that you “have to” go to the gym. It’s that you “get to” go to the gym.

    5- Are you overcommitted?

    Beyond that, consider that you may have too much on your plate. Burnout is a real thing. And if left unchecked, it can cause you to lose productivity when you’d otherwise be on top of things.

    Ask yourself if you’re procrastinating or if you don’t have the time or resources you need to get everything done.

    6- What’s essential and what can wait?

    Along similar lines, you might want to do a brain dump of all your responsibilities. Laying it all in front of you will help you determine what’s essential and what can wait. Sometimes if you want to get going, you have to trim the fat. Much of what we pressure ourselves to complete is just busywork. Eliminate the non-essentials and see if your productivity improves.

    7- What’s your reward?

    Finally, make sure you have a healthy reward system in place to meet your goals. While goal-achievement is rewarding, knowing there’s an even brighter light at the end of the tunnel may prove motivating.

    We spend much time bashing ourselves for mistakes and shortcomings. It’s important to celebrate our wins, too.

    Final Thoughts

    Sometimes procrastination can get the better of you, but things aren’t always what they seem. The next time you worry about your productivity level, ask yourself these seven questions. You may discover a quick solution to your problem.

    If you need  help in changing any of these in your life right now, book  a FREE 30 minute Strategy Session HERE.

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  • 12 Tips for Nurturing Your Personal Freedom

    12 Tips for Nurturing Your Personal Freedom

    When we have been hurt, it’s very easy to feel that life is not fair. I remember when my marriage broke up after 34 years, I felt a lot of hurt, emotional pain and resentment after my husband left me for another woman. It took me a long time to get over these feelings. Eventually, I started to realise that I was 100% responsible for how I felt, which meant I had a choice in any given moment. I could choose to feel the hurt and pain, or I could choose to feel grateful for the 34 years we had shared, and, specifically, grateful for the 4 beautiful children we had brought into the world and the joy I feel every day being a mum.

     

    It made me realise that all I needed to do was to nurture my own personal freedom, rather than letting someone else have control over that freedom.

     

    If you want to take back control over your freedom, here are 12 tips to get you started.

     

    12 Tips for Nurturing Your Personal Freedom

     

    There’s a lot of pressure to conform to society’s definition of success. Right from school, you hear that there is pretty much one path. A good job, a one-way upwards career trajectory, a family, big house, lots of money. But your personal freedom doesn’t get mentioned. Nor does inner peace. But you don’t have to step too far outside your regular life to allow space for greater contentment, and freedom from the anxieties and pressures of modern life.

     

    There are some key things you can do right now to nurture your personal freedom and achieve greater contentment with your life.

     

    1. Let go of past hurts and sufferings, acknowledging what you have learned along the way.
    2. Believe in your heart that you deserve love and good things in your life and that you wish these for the other people in your life.
    3. Act kindly in your interactions with other people, whether it’s friends, family, colleagues or the person you walk past in the street. People will remember how you treated them long after they have forgotten your words.
    4. Be kind to yourself and acknowledge that you mostly do the best you can. And when you make a mistake, you learn from it and do better.
    5. Acknowledge that you have control only over your actions and reactions. You can’t control other people, but you can control how you respond to them.
    6. Own your past mistakes but do not let them define you.
    7. Be at peace with change and accept that it is part of the ebb and flow of life.
    8. Set goals to achieve what you want out of life but be flexible and prepared to adapt to changing circumstances.
    9. Don’t compare your life to others, especially as they present themselves on social media. People always display their best sides and rarely acknowledge weakness or when things are going badly.
    10. Choose to be compassionate. Most people are trying to do their best most of the time.
    11. Be grateful for where you are, and what you have right now. Don’t get caught up in a dissatisfaction loop where the other guy’s life looks better. Chances are you are already living an abundant life.
    12. Learn to relax and allow things to be, rather than try to second guess all the time. Adopt the Buddhist philosophy of detachment, breathe, and let go of anxiety. Allow and trust that the Universe will give you what you need.
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  • Obstacles that Keep You from Being Present

    Obstacles that Keep You from Being Present

    When you want to live in the now, there are obstacles that can get in the way and stop you from being fully present.

    Distractions are one of these. You can set a goal to be more present then it seems like one thing after another happens to get in the way of that goal. Sometimes these distractions can be problems at home or work. They could also be thoughts or habits that keep cropping up.

    Closely linked to the problem of distractions is stress. When you’re under stress, it can be hard to keep your mind’s focus where you want it to be. That’s because your brain is busy trying to solve the current crisis.

    Your body starts to react to stress in ways that aren’t conducive to living in the present. When your breathing and your body aren’t calm, it’s much harder to soothe your mind and focus your thoughts.

    Too many demands on you physically can also be an obstacle to keep you from being mindful. When you reach the end of your physical strength, it can be hard to find the mental strength that you need.

    If you’re not feeling well, you’re tired, or you’re under stress, your mind will have a harder time keeping the focus where it needs to be.

    Any time that a physical need is present, it can be an obstacle. If you’re thirsty, your mind might want to focus on that only. If you’re hungry, your mind might not be able to focus on anything but food.

    When a physical need nags at the back of your subconscious mind, you can have a lot of trouble centreing your mind on anything else. When you want to practice living in the present, you need to be sure that no physical needs are distracting you from reaching the level of awareness.

    If you have a cold or other health ailment, that can be an obstacle. If you have a headache, toothache or are hurting anywhere in your body, those can make it difficult to achieve a state of focus for being present. It could be that all you can think about is how bad you’re feeling or how much pain you’re in. Any physical issues that are going on should be dealt with first.

    Having a time crunch is another roadblock to mindfulness. If your life is so packed with activities and responsibilities that fitting one more thing in it seems overwhelming, you’ll have difficulty obtaining the awareness needed for living in the present.

    Your own thoughts can get in the way, too. Thinking that you’re not good enough or that you can’t keep your focus is a common obstacle. Many people make the mistake of thinking that living in the present is something they can do just by wanting it.

    However, it’s something that takes both effort and consistency. If you gently bring your focus back around each time you lose it, then you will eventually be able to live in the present for longer periods.

    When it’s difficult is when many people give up. They want instant results and being mindful isn’t something that happens overnight. You need to work at it even when it’s not as easy as you’d like it to be.

    Whatever you’re doing right now, try to stop a moment and pause. Take a breath and refocus. This is a simple way that you can calm your racing mind and body so that you can be fully present.

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