Summer is well and truly with us at last! And what better time than now to focus on you?! This is the perfect time to reset, refocus and recalibrate, and to put a life plan in action to get your life back on track.
I, myself, am taking the opportunity to work out what direction I want to go in. Finally, I can take a breather and work out where I currently am and where I'd like my life to head to.
These sunny days and warm summer nights make me feel optimistic about the future ahead. They ignite a passion in me to search for what I truly want from my life. After many months of feeling lost and drifting from one confusing day to another, I feel that now is the right time to plan the months ahead while I have the time and space to think. I'm ready to meet my future self, connect with my inner hero and press pause on my current internal dialogue.
I encourage you, too, to reunite with your self-worth, find your sense of purpose, work out your values and muster up the courage to go for what you want.
Here are 8 simple techniques that can inspire you to create the change you want to see:
1. Take the rough with the smooth
Remember that your journey is never going to be straightforward or easy, and you can't actually see the end point. Like a sailboat, the beauty is in the journey itself, with all the wind conditions and currents that you'll face.
And, as you sail further towards your destination, you won't ever see beyond the horizon, but what you will see is the splendour of the wind in the sails, and you'll experience the promise of the rising sun, and you'll feel the comfort of the birds following alongside you. So, with the rough comes the smooth. Use this thought to gain a new perspective.
2. Make small changes
It's hard to make changes. Let's face it, who really likes change?! I don't! I'm a creature of habit. But change is the one constant you can guarantee on. And change can be good. If we remember this, it can make it seem less daunting.
It really is just the small changes we make every day that will give us the power of motivation to make those bigger changes. It's normal to drift off-course from time to time, so be kind to yourself and allow yourself to press the reset button to get back on track when you realise you've drifted.
3. Measure your progress
Take stock of where you are in your game plan and ask yourself questions, with your goals in mind, to see whether or not you're going in the right direction.
You might want to ask yourself if you've noticed a change in your thoughts, feelings and behaviour compared to how you thought, felt and behaved at the beginning of the year. Would others notice these changes in you? You might want to ask people for their feedback too.
Something that helps me is a wallchart. I use my wallchart as a sounding board to show me how I'm doing. I colour it in every time I take a step towards my goals, and I find it to be highly useful as motivation to keep me on track and to indicate where I'm doing my best.
4. Hold onto your purpose
Don't worry if you haven't made much progress towards your goal. Keep asking yourself what your goal will give you that you don't already have. And use this energy to hold onto your 'why'.
Sometimes we can start with every good intention and then fall back a little, but that's when it's important to keep in mind why you want to achieve your goals. Remember to ask yourself what your current behaviour is costing you. What are you saying no to, every time you say yes, and vice versa? Reflect and steer yourself back to your purpose.
5. Push past those obstacles
While pursuing any project, you are bound to come up against obstacles. The key is to plan ahead for the likely setbacks, and to do this when enthusiasm is high, which is usually at the beginning of the process of change, as this is when you feel the strength to overcome any problems that may arise.
I won't lie, self-doubt will probably creep in a little, but rather than reacting to it emotionally, allow yourself the courage to face it and push past those obstacles.
6. Find your tribe
Search for like-minded people who support your visions, and connect with them by sharing progress made and participating in group coaching.
When we find our tribe, change can happen faster. Feeling like you're part of something bigger can inspire you to create a chain of events that will trigger transformative change and achievement.
7. Flourish with courage
Think about your future self. Visualise yourself as if nothing has changed. See, think and feel as that person. This will probably be quite an emotional exercise but confronting this scenario is the start to bringing your goal to mind and giving yourself the courage to try new things.
Then think about the future self where changes have been made. Imagine what you are feeling, seeing, hearing, thinking and doing. Look back at the you today from this future self and tell your current self how you got to that future life. Ask yourself how you overcame your obstacles. You might find it useful to write a letter to your future self and back to your current self, giving advice from the person who knows you best-you!
This exercise aims to highlight your strengths, and reminds you of your persistence in past experiences where you've achieved change. Remember feeling good and use that to flourish with courage.
8. Realise your desires
If you find yourself stuck, try to emotionally connect yourself to your goal. When you realise your desires and you're doing things you love, change is achievable. Visualise and feel what you want to happen. Let your desires bring you feelings of joy and then use these emotions to drive you towards the changes you want to make.
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Every day is an opportunity to reset. If something isn't quite working out the way you want it to now, then think about the change you can make today.
We all have choices. You decide on the life you want. Create that ripple effect and direct your attention and mental energy towards it. And, more importantly, simply value and enjoy the process!