Would you like to make BIG changes to your life? You can and create a life that suits you and makes you happy. Ready to step into the driver’s seat of your life? Where do you want to go?

Choose what it is you want

Lots of people tell me the trouble is they don’t know what they want. If this is true for you, flip the coin: what don’t you want? The long hours you work? The pittance you are paid for what you do? Lonely weekends? Credit card debts? Fights with your spouse? If I gave you a magic wand, what would you change? OK? Now you have something to aim for to make this your time to make it happen!

Don’t think you have to decide today. Take your time, do some research, talk to friends and family. Making your dream life happen means you need to think, plan and create a strategy. Don’t sigh!! Most people take lots of time to plan their summer holidays: where they want to go, how much they can spend on it, how they are going to get there, etc. The process of planning your life is very similar. You can do this!

Be specific about what you want

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be really specific – and that you write it down. The more specific you can be, the more readily your subconscious mind will positively filter what it is you want. It will show you opportunities, different ways and ideas about how your dream/goal can be brought about. Meanwhile your conscious mind can find out how much, where, when, etc. I know it sounds slightly crazy – write it down and it will start to happen – but it truly works. And what have you got to lose by writing it down?

Focus on what you want – not what you don’t want!

Your subconscious mind is incredibly powerful but it does not analyze, rationalize, have limitations nor have a sense of time. It merely goes by the most evidence it has. For example, if you are struggling financially and keep agonizing over your credit card debts, beating yourself up for the muddle you’re in, feeling sad that you can’t afford to buy things, this is the evidence your subconscious mind notices and it continues to show you opportunities and ideas of how to stay indebted! To change things you need to focus on the opposite. This doesn’t mean burying your head in the sand about how much you owe, but your focus needs to be on savings, abundance and plenty – not lack. For example, no matter how hard up you are, you could open a savings account even if you begin with only £1 a week. You may think this is insignificant versus your debt, especially if you owe thousands, but your subconscious mind does not see it that way. Remember it goes only by evidence not rationale. It notices that there are now savings and debt. By paying more attention to your new savings, your subconscious mind will help you turn your debt problem around. This applies to everything in your life: switch your attention from what you don’t have to what you do (or are starting to) have.

Scrapbooks, visualization and dream boards

The subconscious mind also cannot tell the difference between reality and imaginary – yes, really! The conscious mind, of course, can! Visualizing yourself in the life you wish to have, seeing yourself as if it was real, solidifies your dream. As well as writing down what you wish for in your life, you can speed up the change process by finding pictures (in magazines or on the internet) of what you desire and pasting them into a scrapbook, or collage (dream board). Look at what you have created regularly and your subconscious mind will accept it and move you in subtle ways to help it become true.

Don’t set yourself up to fail!

If you want to have, be or do something that is REALLY big, then break it down into believable steps. Following is an example of desiring a super car. I use this analogy simply because it’s easy to grasp, but this approach applies to all of your choices. If you were driving a Ford but dreamed of owning a Ferrari, your conscious mind may have trouble believing that this is possible. However, most people could imagine moving up from a Ford to a top of the range BMW would be a big stretch, but do-able within a reasonably short period of time. If you were to do this, then from the BMW, the leap to the Ferrari is not so far as it was from the Ford. Remember this is for ALL things – not just material processions. If you meditate irregularly, then moving to doing it at least 3 times a week helps you eventually get to spending half-an-hour each day.

Act as if it was true already

In order to make the changes you wish for, you need lots of positive experiences (evidence) that show your subconscious mind you are ‘on-your-way’. Take small actions as if what you wish for is already true. If you want to live in a certain location, go there and do something ordinary: like shop at the local supermarket. If you dream of working for a particular company, drive to this place of work one day – at the time you would go there. Park nearby and walk to the place so you can ‘see’ yourself in your dream. If you want to be slimmer, go to the shops and look for an outfit you will be able to wear when you have lost the weight. If it is a business dream – choose the name, doodle the logo, or like I did, buy the domain name of the business that one day will be yours.

Christmas decorations letter

When I was studying to become a coach, one of our coach-leaders recommended this exercise. He asked us to write a few lines about what we really wanted in 12 months time. He asked us to make it a stretch, but also believable (i.e. not requiring a Lottery Ticket win to get it!). Then put your note in an envelope and pack it away with your Christmas decorations.

What’s wonderful about this exercise is you will be surprised in December, both by its appearance in amongst the decorations (for your will have forgotten about it) and also by how much of it has come true. I’m intending to do this exercise again this year. Let’s share our ‘wins’ from this with each other in December!

…and finally

I hope you have enjoyed reading this Tip and that it has inspired you to take action in at least one area of your life to make your life special for you. If you need a helping hand, I would be delighted to coach you. Call me on 01305 821799 or 0845 83 86 733 (lo call rate) or email jennie@reddandelion.co.uk.