Change Your Mind To Change Your Life and Live Your Dreams

 Make Your Dreams Happen

Don’t Underestimate Your Own Power

Millions of people are holding themselves back from living their best life. Don’t be one of them!

What about living life to the fullest

Are you Disillusioned and Disappointed with Life? If you feel like this the question is why? Did you always feel like this or has something specific happen along the way to create these feelings?  Whatever the case the may be you can turn things around and start  to live a fuller happier life.  And it can begin to change quite quickly once you decide what you want instead!

Certain things that happen in life can be very daunting and unsettling to say the least.  And sometimes they can even devastate you.  Sometimes the impact is temporary and others times you can get stuck in what seems like a continuous downward spiral.  And maybe as much as you may really want to change your life you just don’t know where to start.

Change your thoughts change your life

We all have to deal with life and it’s various challenges. And many of us live with a lot of “What If’s”?  What if I’d followed a different career path, or what if I’d married someone else.  And what if I’d said yes when I chose to say no, or vice versa. What if I’d been here instead of there or done this rather than that?

Most of us are experts at second guessing ourselves. What if I’d taken some of the opportunities that I could have had?  How would my life be different? Most of us will go through this during our lifetime, questioning some of the choices that we’ve made.

The truth is when you change the way you think your life changes automatically. We have to learn to mange and change our thoughts to think more positive, useful and productive thoughts. Things that will move us forward and not keep us dwelling on a past that we cannot change.

Only you can design your dream life

I’ve been around for a long time now and I’ve had many experiences both good and bad. I’ve also had years to learn, to grow and hopefully become wiser.  And I’ve learned to let go of a lot of things have bothered me and experienced what it takes to start over again. And it really is up to you too design a life you may only dream of.

One of those “what if”  situations that stands out most for me was when I was in my teens. I was still living in the UK and right after I left school I started a 3 year apprenticeship. It was at a newly opened high end hair salon in the city. The salon manager and most of the top stylists were from Switzerland.

Some of the Swiss stylists came specifically to help get the salon established and to improve their English speaking skills.  While a few were full time residents of the UK the others were there temporarily. The salon very quickly got the reputation of being the place to go. It was exciting and interesting along with long hours and hard work.

Weigh the pros and cons of life’s opportunities

It was coming close to the time for my two favorite stylists to return to their home in Switzerland. They were going  back to work in their family owned salon. During the two plus years they were there I had worked very closely with both of them.  Although we knew it was to be only temporary for them I was pretty sad that they would soon be leaving.

A little while before they were to leave they asked me if I would go back to Switzerland with them.  And they wanted me to continue working with them in their salon.  I was very surprised and feeling honored that they would even ask me.  And more so to find out that I was the only one they had asked to go with them.

Making life changing decisions

I was young and still living at home with my parents and two younger brothers at that time.  Plus I’d never been that far away from home on my own before or to stay away for long.  Also by then I had a boyfriend which was pretty serious so I turned down their amazing offer.

My life was busy with work, friends, family and boyfriend etc. Then I later got married and had 3 children so I never regretted my decision. In fact I never even thought about it again for a very long time. Things come up and you have to make a decision that could change your life dramatically.

Life is about change

It was only years later when things were changing in my life that I would sometimes think back in time.  And of this opportunity I’d once had and turned down. I’d sometimes wonder how different my life would have been making other decisions.  And it surely would have taken a different path but I’ll never know where it would have lead .

My “what if” thoughts were not really from regrets but more from curiosity.

Take responsibility for your own actions

And the fact that I had made that final decision all on my own was a good  thing too! I wasn’t influenced by anyone else.  I’d made my decision that was for me and my life.  And actually I did that before even mentioning it to anyone else.  I didn’t want anyone to try to sway me one way or the other. And I couldn’t blame anyone else either.

This was a great life lesson for me, it made me really think about consequences of my own actions. And a perfect example of how just one decision could totally change the whole course of your life.  The difference between a yes and a no!

One decision can change your life

Had I said yes at the time I wouldn’t have married my then boyfriend. I wouldn’t have had the three children I have. Almost everything would have been different even if I’d have gone with them for a few months or a year.

When we’re questioning things in our life it’s easy to think about what could have been. It’s natural to think about the past and things we may have experienced. The past is a place where we’ve already been and there are memories there. And the truth is we can never be really sure of our tomorrows and what they will bring. But your whole life can change with just one decision.

Stop living in the past

Living in the past is futile so don’t waste too much time dwelling on the past. However when you are recalling things in your life hopefully there are far more good memories than bad.  However in order to change your life and move on you can certainly learn from the way you’ve lived in the past.

But you also need to focus on the now and the future. Take the best and leave the rest!

Keep in mind that everything you’ve experienced in your life up to now has made you who you are today.

There have been a number of times I’ve had opportunities offered to me and you probably have too. Some I’ve taken some I haven’t. I’ve always tried to weigh the pros and cons before making important  decisions. Mostly I think I’ve made the right choices for me.

Moving forward in life

Keep moving your life forward and don’t stop growing. There’s little to be gained from dwelling on the “what if’s” in life, they are gone and done with. It’s time to move on! You make your choice, take your chances and move forward.

If things fall apart you try to fix them and if that doesn’t work you do something else. But you keep on moving because you are either growing or you’re dying, so keep growing!

I’ve had many years to grow, to learn and to accept and let go of things I can’t change and to change others I could.  Plus I did start over again.

Have a vision for your life

So many people just drift through life with no real plan or direction as to where they are going or what they want. Either they’ve never really given much thought to how their life could be or have no idea what they would change. And they end up never coming close to reaching their full potential or having the type of life they could have. You need a life vision!

There are also those that become disappointed and disillusioned with their life. It’s often because they may have thought that they’d found what they wanted only to discover that it isn’t. It  wasn’t at all what they expected it would be.  Or possibly that they have grown out of that lifestyle and now feel their life seems to be on hold.

Making choices in life

You can choose to go on living the way things are and put up with it or make changes.

I have personally made a number of major changes in my life and I know many others that have done so too. I’ve been at that stuck stage where I wasn’t sure what I wanted or what to do next. I know exactly how it feels. But making life choices is a part of growing and moving forward.

But I did a lot of work on myself to find those important answers that I needed to get me to the next steps.  And then I chose to take action towards making things happen and create the changes I wanted in my life.

Make better decisions in life

Focus on yourself as only you can change you. This is something that no one else can do for you, it has to be you! You may ask for advice or just to talk things over but ultimately the rest is up to you. Also it’s normal that our needs and wants can change through life as we change and grow. That’s when we start to make better life decisions.

It’s been a number of years since I was at that stage in my life. There have been times where I’ve been feeling stuck and not even sure what I wanted instead. Or how to go about making the changes I needed.  And since that time I have spent 30 years learning more about people and life and myself.

Facing the challenges of life

We all have to deal with the challenges of everyday life. I certainly understand more about the many challenges to be faced in life. Besides personal experience I’ve spent years of listening to and studying others. I’ve  trained in (NLP) Neuro Linguistic Programming, life coaching, studied solution focused counseling, EMDR and more.

It’s been about learning, understanding, growth and so much more about what makes us tic. It’s a continuing quest and interest of mine. Self knowledge is a constant work in progress.

Most things you can climb your way out of by making different choices. It takes a lot of soul searching, personal growth and  discovering your beliefs, blocks, and what you really want, plus common sense.

A turning point in life

Pay attention to turning points in your life. There are all kinds of turning points in life and sometimes you know that exact pivotal point. That precise event or time when something turns you in another direction.

For example maybe you discover your spouse cheated on you, or the loss of a loved one. For some it’s a health scare, a major financial loss or you lose your job, maybe your only source of income.

There are many events that can lead you to take a different life path. And sometimes it’s a number of little things that build up to the point when enough is enough. And of course we don’t all want the same things from life.

Are you ready to change your life?

I’d like to share with you a few of the most important things that I have learned over many years. Hopefully this will provide some ideas to assist you in getting more clarity and focus without having to spend years doing it.

We are all in pursuit of happiness but the truth is happiness can be fleeting.  No one is happy all of the time, it comes and goes but actually happiness is always inside of us. We just have to access it. Whatever emotions we are feeling anger, sadness, loneliness or happiness they’re all to do with what we’re presently focusing our thoughts on.

Living life better

There are things that can get in the way in of you living a better life.  What do you think gets in the way of you having the type of life you really want? You may be surprised to hear that the #1 thing that stops you is YOU! Yes the very one you see when you look in the mirror.

The reason you’re not where you want to be is YOU! I know…this is not what you want to hear, but it’s true. It’s much easier to blame circumstances or others but it’s YOU.  And it’s extremely important that you realize this! It’s only then you can begin to change things.

• So often we get in the way of our own success in life
• We create obstacles with our doubts and fears
• Also we often over complicate things.
• We sometimes hold ourselves back for fear of what others will think! (when it’s what you think that really matters)
• And sometimes we just can’t be bothered or too lazy to put in the effort it takes! (these are choices too and that’s okay if you’re already content with where you are and what you have)

Are you satisfied with your life?

Are you satisfied with your life circumstances or just biding your time? Contentment can be a great thing and something many people strive for. But there’s a difference between contentment and complacency. If you can say that you have a life your satisfied  it’s enough for some people but is it really enough for you ?

When you’re just putting up with things or wishing life was different that’s pretty sad. And things rarely get better of their own accord, you have to work at it. Are you just fooling yourself? If you want more you have to do more, put in the effort and do the work then life will change!

Living a happier life

Quit blocking your happiness. It’s people themselves that are responsible for blocking their own needs, wants and desires. It’s the ingrained dysfunctional beliefs that they have grown up with, it’s self worth, self esteem, fears, habits and excuses. If you want to live a happier life these things need to be addressed. And most of what we’ve learned is based on our personal experiences what we’ve heard and seen.

 Feeling fulfilled in life

There are many people that appear to be successful but are not happy. They are constantly searching for more. More possessions, more money, more women or men, more excitement but nothing helps because they never feel fulfilled.

The really #1 thing that stops people ever feeling fulfilled is that most people don’t feel that they are good enough! And while they’re not feeling enough nothing they do, have or get is ever going to fulfill them or be enough for them.

Your thoughts can change your life

Most of all it’s about understanding your thoughts!It’s our thoughts and the pictures we create in our minds that run our life. This is a big clue to the problems most people have. So whatever you do even if you don’t remember anything else here pay special attention to these last two things. “You Are Enough And Your Thoughts Run Your Life”

 Understanding your thoughts

It’s your thoughts that make or break you! Remember that You Are Enough!  and Keep telling yourself “I’m enough” over and over again until it’s ingrained in your mind! Write it out, put stickers where you’ll see them every day to help it sink in. When you do this consistently you are rewiring your brain. You will start to believe it!

Once you realize that you have the power to manage your own thoughts and use it everything can change. The mind has the power to shape your life in so many ways so it’s important that you understand your thoughts.

All the messages we’ve got from others during our life sometimes pop up to remind us of our inadequacies. And we listen to it! The key is to quieten these negative voices and replace with positivity. You do this by changing your thoughts. You have to catch yourself when you’re getting into negativity and change it for something positive.

We create our own reality

It’s your life, your choices and you need to be accountable for the results you get in life. And if you’re not getting what you want  check to see where you are sabotaging yourself? And don’t waste time beating yourself up and feeling bad about it. Take action to do something different and productive to change things around.

Now you know more of what’s stopping you pay more attention and discover where you’re blocking your own success. And remember you create your own reality!

• Do you make excuses why you can’t or don’t do what you need to do?
• Do you ignore your gut instincts, or listen to others rather than yourself?
• Are you’re afraid of making mistakes, or fear that you’ll fail.
• Are you resistant to many of the things you hear and see and just put up a wall? You’re not even open to checking them out for yourself?
• Is it always your way or the highway?

The fact is sometimes you need to step outside of your comfort zone which most people are very reluctant to do. But chances are  it’s only outside of your comfort zone where you’ll find everything you really want.

Anything worth having doesn’t come easy! 

It usually takes a lot of work and sacrifice but if it’s important enough you’ll find a way to make it happen.

• Focus on what you want to achieve.
• Don’t take on the burden of everyone else
• And don’t hold yourself responsible for things you can’t control.

Living a boring and unproductive existence can suck the life out of you. Don’t you think it would be boring waking up every morning of your life exactly the same person as you were the day before?  If your goal is just getting through the day that’s really not living a quality life.  We are meant to be growing and learning throughout or lives.

Design your destiny

Be in charge of your own destiny. You determine what you want out of life. And whatever you want starts with you. It’s extremely important that you work on yourself first as this is where all change happens. Start on your inner self as your external life is a reflection of your inner life. Remember that you are in charge of designing your own destiny.

Maybe you’ve heard this before but true happiness is an inside job.

Changing on the inside

Everything starts from within you. Your thoughts, emotions, and feeling good or bad all begin on the inside. The answers to everything you want are already inside of you, you just have to access them.

Go after what you truly desire in life even if you don’t know yet know how to get it. Once you make up your mind and decide what you really want things automatically begin to change. And with attention, focus and action things can really start to shift in your life. If you’re persistent and take action on a consistent basis things can change dramatically.

Starting over in life

Many people have been bold enough and brave enough to pick themselves up after being knocked down, sometime numerous times. Some have even been able to create a life they may only have previously dreamed of. When you start over in life you an create a clean slate and make you future what you want it to be.

To Start over and leave a lot of the old baggage behind is what many people want to do when they have radical change in their life.  While you can’t go back to the very beginning again you can start from where you are now and change your future. Starting over involves a lot of letting go.

Change your habits change your life

Say goodbye to old destructive habits. Get rid of those old habits that don’t serve you well including certain relationships, grudges and whatever is in the way of you moving on. You need the space and freedom to move forward. When you change your bad habits for better ones it’s a major step to changing your life

Also when you start over you are never starting from scratch as you’ve already had growth in your life. You now have experience and knowledge you didn’t have before.

What you are doing is starting a new phase in life building on what you have and what you know.

What do you want in life?

Before you do anything else you need to know what you want. If you’re building something new or going on a trip you”ll need a plan or a map. Without these you’ll waste a lot of time, get lost and waste energy.  Also you’ll get confused, frustrated and be more likely to quit.

You can’t know what action to take without knowing exactly what you want from life first. And this is where you need to spend some time discovering and getting clear on what that is.

Some people find this a challenging process so you may find it easier to write down what you no longer want in your life first.  Once you have that list you can make another list replacing what you don’t want with what you do want in its place. Once you get started it becomes easier. You also want to know your WHY! Why do you want it.

Setting Goals For Life

Create goals worth having goals that will improve your life. What are your goals or mainly what is your ultimate goal. A big goal is made up of many little goals and the big goal should be something that’s really important to you.

Ideas that are wishy washy and without substance are not going to inspire you. You want something that will continue to excite and inspire you when the going gets tough. And be sure to write the goals for your life down!

 Live life Bold

Going after what you want is about being bold.  It’s finding the courage to go after what you want and deserve.  If you don’t ask you most likely won’t get, so what have you got to lose? If you don’t tell people what’s on your mind unless they are a mind reader they are not going to know. And I for one haven’t come across many mind readers. Be bolder!

A lot of problems arise when people assume things, they may think they know what you’re thinking or what you want.  And vice versa! People don’t know what you’re really dealing with and you don’t know what the next person is dealing with either.

Life is a journey with ups and downs

Life is full of peaks and valleys. When things are going well in your life you may feel like you’re on top of the world. And that’s when your living at the peak of the mountain. And then something negative may happen that brings you right back down to live in the valley again. This is life.There’s no getting away from it life is full of ups and downs!

But the one positive thing about the valley is that it’s where you have most of your major learning experiences. It’s when you ask the right questions, like why did this happen and how can I make this better. You search for solutions to the problems.

Health Wealth and Relationships

 People’s biggest issues are related to Health, Wealth and Relationships.

Health...this could be physical, mental or emotional health. People struggle with their weight, and diseases that can prevents them from making the most of their life. There are mobility issues, disabilities that maybe you or a loved one is dealing with.  Anxiety, panic attacks and depression can hugely influence a person’s quality of life.

Any or all of these can also then lead to self worth and self image issues.  And they also can become real challenges lots of people.

Wealth...I really do believe that your health is your greatest wealth. Without your health the rest doesn’t mean much. However, the wealth referred to here is actually related the material things in life, such as money and possessions.  It’s what you have or don’t have that you think you want or need.

To have or not have wealth can both be a burden and can create a lot of problems for some people. It can also affect their relationships and in the long run even their health and safety.

Relationships… this could be a romantic relationship, family, friends or in the workplace.  Our relationships are vital to our well being. People can have disagreements in all of these areas of their life at some time.

Generally most people tend to get past disagreements especially when it’s people they are close to and are a part of their life.  Most people don’t want to permanently damage their relationships from a bit of hot air that’s let loose. And usually it’s because of unresolved issues that have been  building for a while when that happens it doesn’t take much to cause an upset.

But some do hold grudges, they dig in their heels and can’t or won’t get past issues that could be overcome.  Often it’s in spite of themselves. There’s the old saying “cut off your nose to spite your face”

So when things go wrong in relationships it can have a major impact on people’s lives, their families and friends. It can lead to a breakdown in communication with family, friends and co workers. And with couples can end up leading to Divorce.

What are your expectations?

Do you have unreasonable expectations of others? It’s not surprising that many relationship problems arise from a persons expectations of others. If someone doesn’t meet your expectations of them that isn’t their problem, it’s yours.

You may each have  very different trains of thought, they may have totally different expectations to you or none at all. This can cause you to be disappointed, even angry and frustrated with that person. Always remember that you can only change yourself and not the other person.  Be careful with your expectations!

Design the life you want

If you could design your life exactly the way you wanted how would it look?

• What would you be doing?
• Where would you be?
• Who would be with you?
• How would you spend your days?
• How would you be feeling?

When you take control of your life you never know where it’s going to take you. Don’t wait for the perfect time to start something or it may never happen. Perfection really doesn’t exist so take imperfect action. That’s way better than taking no action at all!

The smallest steps taken in the right direction can end up being the biggest steps in your life.  And this can provide you with the biggest results.

Here are other important things that you need to know and remember.

• It’s what you think about that manifests into results in your life
• You take responsibility for your own life not someone else.
• You are in control of what you think, how you feel and how you react to what happens to you.
• Don’t fall victim to circumstances.
• It’s important to discover your real purpose in life
• Change is inevitable-Growth is a choice we have.
• Throughout life you should make sure that you continue to grow
• You have to do things before you get things.
• You can learn a lot more from listening than you can from talking
• Figure out what your priorities and values are in life
• Expect that problems will come up and block you – acknowledge them, get past them and move on.

Focus on what is important

Put your time and focus only on things that are really important to you. Before you do anything else you need to know what you want, what your goals are or mainly what is your ultimate goal. A big goal is made up of many little goals. Also the big goal should be something that’s really important to you not something wimpy that isn’t going to motivate or inspire you.

How to live your dream

Pick goals that will continue to excite and inspire you. Each step will take you one step closer to your dream life. The very fact that you make the decision and start to take action towards a new way of life already makes you a winner.You can do it! You can have it is you truly want it! Stay committed and focused .

Real commitment takes time and energy which a lot of people are not willing to do. You are investing in you! This could be the beginning of a new and exciting phase in your life. Welcome to the start of you beginning your dream life

Don’t live with regrets of what you may have missed out on. It’s what you can do now and in the future that counts.  Make it something that won’t turn into a regret later on!