7 steps to create the life you want

The journey to achieving your dream life starts with a single choice, a choice to say yes to a more fulfilled life where you are in control. What are you waiting for?

1.       Take 100% responsibility for your life

No one is going to come along hold your hand and guide you through life. No one is going to rescue you from your self-pity. It isn’t someone’s job to make your life one that you are passionate about.

It is all yours. Every aspect. What happened in your life up until now has happened. The good, bad or ugly. You can’t change it but you can reframe how you see it. So, each day, rise and own the day - all of it. Everything that happens to you, you should be a participant. If you fail or encounter an issue, you deal with it. You don’t hide from adversity but look it head-on. You don’t carry about a shopping bag of excuses, you accept what it is and work it through. Letting go of any victim stories which is keeping you stuck. You have a beginner’s mindset, open to learning about yourself and life along the way. You don’t compare, complain or criticise, but accept it and move on. Flowing with life.

Key Takeaway: If you find yourself stuck, acknowledge, and discover what you need to do to get unstuck. You keep moving forward. One step or one leap at a time.

2.       Be Clear on Why – Your Purpose

Each day set an intention of how you want to feel. It should be aligned to a higher purpose, your purpose. Which in turn is linked to your values. I value freedom and my intent most days is to feel energized and to learn something new. It is important you have a clear view of your future - How your family life looks, career, hobbies, community, finances.

Key Takeaway: Get excited for what is around the corner and show up each day and own your life, not take anything by chance.

3.       Decide What You Want

You are steering the ship that is your life. You are deciding what passengers are allowed onto the ship and who needs to leave. Nothing is really by chance. You have a plan and are actively working on seeking out what you need to live a purpose-led life. You are connected back into your community. You have clear boundaries and know when you need to pause and reset.

Key Takeaway: Create a Wishlist of everything you want from life – be bold and creative. Don’t hold back!

4.       Believe it is possible

You have watched others around you achieve what you are chasing and that motivates you. You know it is possible but may require a different version of you to achieve it. There is support all around waiting for you to reach out – mentors, coaches, books, and courses. Whole communities. You feel energised and excited when you visualize the life you could have. It may be wildly different from today, or a similar life but more consistent. Even living in a different country or with a new career. It could be a life filled with experiences of a lifetime on a regular basis. Or just feeling contentment. Visualize the life you desire, as if you have achieved it, and use all your senses to activate a feeling linked to it.

Key Takeaway: Feel how you will feel when living your new life. Now chase that feeling.

5.       Believe in Yourself

Whatever you seek believe you deserve it, as what you deserve will soon become your reality. Make it a daily practice where you affirm what you want, declare gratitude for what you already have, celebrate each win, and feel excited for your future self.

Key Takeaway: Believe you have the inner strength to adapt and learn, achieve a life you once dreamt of.

6.       Become an Inverse Paranoid

You choose to believe the world is supporting you and working for you. You see a difficult situation as an opportunity to learn and grow, to test how much you want it. It will eventually empower you as you overcome it and strive forward. You see signs all around, leading you down the path to your new life.

Key Takeaway:  Look for the opportunity in everything.

7.       Goal Setting

Goals provide your life with direction, something to aim for., to keep you focussed. Most people don’t even write down their goals, let alone commit to them and pursue them.   It is important to fully embody your goal.

·       Who is the person you need to become to achieve your goal?

·       What is your morning and evening routine?

·       How do you spend your free time?

·       What are your strengths?

When will you achieve your goal? Make it specific. Write down your goal and how you plan to break it down to achieve it. Start to design your environment to nudge you towards your goal.

Key Takeaway: Declare your goal out loud – make yourself accountable by sharing your goal and timeline.

8.       Take Action

Don’t wait until the start of a new month or when the time is right. Start now. Figure out the next best action step towards achieving your goal, your dream lifel.  The most obvious one could be to speak with somebody who has already done what you want to do or research it on the internet.  The Internet is alive with communities to support your goal.

Visualise that you have already completed your goal and then breakdown all the steps you needed to complete it.  Create a detailed task list or even mind map out everything you need to undertake. Here are some journal prompts:

·       What will you need to do?

·       What new skills will you need to learn?

·       What new routines or habits will you need?

Key Takeaway: Have fun with this, become a detective to figure out how you will achieve your goal. Be playful and open, as you may need to pivot as you learn and discover more information.