Seven Steps To A Big Juicy Life
Posted on May 27, 2015 by Jennifer Bentley, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
“We are capable of so much more than we usually dare to imagine.”
Have you ever read something that stuck with you in spite of the fact you didn’t find it very inspiring? Maybe it hit a nerve. I once read a quote by Sharon Salzberg that really stuck with me. She said “We are capable of so much more than we usually dare to imagine.” Take a moment and really think about that comment, is it true for you? And if so why? Are you not sure what is is that you really want? Is fear holding you back? Or do you just have no idea how to make it happen? If you answered yes to any of the above then I invite you to take a couple of minutes to continuing reading.
As a Life Coach, I work with my clients to develop a step by step strategy that is uniquely tailored to their individual wants, needs and desires. I help them achieve the life they want. It is a process that can take anywhere from weeks, to months, to years depending on the size of their dream. So obviously I can not transform your life with a simple blog post, BUT what I can do is offer you some guidance as where to start. So are you ready? Good, then lets do this!
Step 1) Create The Vision for the life you deserve. Make it as vivid as possible. What does it look like? How does it feel? The more specific you are in visualizing, the more you will be able to “feel” it. Feeling it, is crucial. Our feelings drive our actions. When you have a good feeling about what you are creating it becomes very easy to say no to anything that pulls you off track.
Step 2) Create an Action Plan. If we don’t have a plan it’s not surprising that life just seems happens to us! We may not be able to stop life from “happening” but we can have coping strategies for dealing with life’s little surprises. This is where your Action Plan comes in. Once you have a clearly mapped out plan that includes foreseeable obstacles that will crop up, it’s much easier to stay on course. When sh*t happens you don’t panic or become discouraged. You simply take a deep breath and re-evaluate what needs to be done. If you don’t know how to create an Action Plan you can find all the info you need right here on my website.
Step 3) Create Balance. Too much of anything is never a good thing. Yes even too much of the good stuff! A tool that many of us Life Coaches use is something called the Wheel of Life. The Wheel of Life helps you look at each area of your life and assess what’s out balance. The Wheel of Life can help you identify areas that require more attention. Is your life is out of balance? Where do you need to make some changes? What needs to go? This leads us nicely into step # 4 wheel-of-life
Step 4) Create Space. Until you make room for what you do want you will not be able to have it. Think about it, there’s no space! Example; if you want a romantic relationship but keep striking out, is there something within you that needs healing? Are you still holding onto a past relationship? Is your fear of rejection so great that you run from one relationship to another the moment you feel you’re not getting enough attention? Does your career consume so much of your time and energy that there is no room for a meaningful relationship?
Step 5) Self Awareness. If you want that big juicy life you are dreaming of, you have to know why you are doing the things you are currently doing. Your choices have brought you to the exact place you are in right now, does that place fall short of where you could be. Your thoughts create your actions and your actions have created the life you are now enjoying OR not enjoying. If you want a different outcome, you must change your thoughts. As someone who has spent the last 26 years of my life meditating I understand how difficult it can be to stop all the internal chatter. That’s why I am going to suggest starting with the stories you tell yourself, about yourself. The story you have created about what can or can not be, is driving your life. Read that line again, because this is the key to changing your life.
Step 6) Confidence Is Over Rated. Get over the need to feel confident before you start. I really hate to burst anyone’s bubble but having confidence while learning anything new just doesn’t happen. The inconvenient truth is this; the only way to become confident is to stop thinking about it, stop talking about it and actually do it, even the tiniest of steps will help build confidence. Doing nothing nets you nothing. At some point you simply must bite the bullet and go for it. Quick tip; no two things can occupy the same space at the same time. When the fear creeps in replace it with action. Do something, anything! You will be surprised just how well this works.
Step 7) Stay Motivated. Lets be honest, change can be difficult, we get used to doing things a certain way, but if that way is no longer serving us it’s time for a new approach. Set yourself up for success by building a support system around yourself that Inspires & Motivates you. There is an old computer geek saying about garbage in, garbage out. Don’t ingest garbage. Have the courage to fill your life with good stuff and let go of the stuff that weighs you down. Read books that inspire you. Listen to music that elevates your spirit, watch movies or television programs that encourage you to grow. Surround yourself with people who can help keep you motivated by offering you support, and words of wisdom as well as calling you out when you fail to follow through with something you said you would do. If you don’t have people like that in your life, join an online group, find a virtual mentor or get yourself a Life Coach. Nourish your mind, body and spirit, after all, this is your life, your big juicy life, so go ahead and enjoy it!
