Isn't it time to Claim Your Life?
We are not victims or bystanders in our lives. We have control over our behavior, how we respond to circumstances and people in our lives. When we live through passion, soul, authenticity, and abundance, we attract more of the same. When we look at and observe our thoughts and actions, and decide to think and behave in the highest ways possible, we are being conscious and aware.
We can claim what is rightfully ours, which is the right to be happy, fulfilled, and whole. We can heal our past and our wounds and send forgiveness to ourselves and others. We can be grateful for what we have and the people in our lives and share that wholeness and gratitude with others.
Change begins in small manageable steps. Try these simple exercises.

1. Claim Your Gratitude.
What do I have to be grateful for? Make a list and keep a gratitude journal. Start the day with two minutes of thinking or writing, "I am grateful for...." You will begin your day in a great frame of mind and you will begin to see your list grow. Suddenly, there is so much to be grateful for.

2. Claim Your Abundance.
Share your happiness and love. We can go about our day intending to leave a place better than we found it. Open yourself up to people, be friendly, say hello, make eye contact, and smile. Not only does this make you feel better, you make others feel better too. Spread kindness.

3. Claim Your Tired Worn Out Story.
There are pitfalls and challenges we all face, but we do not have to be victim to those "gremlins." Make a list of things you wish to change. Start small with bullet points of how you might change those on a daily basis. You can slowly heal your wounds by paying attention and taking responsibility when you are falling into your old story. Give yourself a pat on the back when you choose differently and notice what you did to change your "story". Choose to be better than who you were in the past and choose to rise above the stories that keep you small, self-sabotaging, or bitter. You are the only one keeping you in your tired worn out story.

4. Claim Your Self-Love.
When you choose to be kind and gentle to yourself and forgive yourself WHILE taking responsibility for your actions, you begin to shed a lot of misery and negativity. You can be as abundant, passionate, and full as you wish to be. We are often our biggest critics. Remind yourself to monitor your thinking and observe what you say to yourself. Then ask yourself, "Is this the truth or is this "truth" (our perception). You can reframe that negativity and give yourself a kind and gentler version. We want to be honest, but not self-negating. It is okay to say to yourself, "Wow, I really said something unkind". This is different than, "I am an idiot. How can I be so stupid?" The first will be helpful to remind you of your pitfall. The later is just critical and will just make you feel worse.

My hope is that others understand it is important to start where you are and keep awareness and growth as goals to become the highest "YOU" that you can become. With dedication and support from your loved ones, you can strive to be the best "YOU" that you can offer the world. The most important part of the process is to stay committed and "chip" away at the goals you set for yourself.

Namaste,

Anne Vidovich, M.A.

Author's Bio: 

Anne Vidovich, M.A. has a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology from Notre Dame de Namur University. She has counseled and coached those seeking a higher self and those willing to become more than they are today. She has a Claim Your Life consulting practice in San Carlos, California. Her wish is to help others who are on a journey to self-growth, consciousness, and more authentic and passionate living. She began her journey to awareness and consciousness over 20 years ago and still continues on that quest today. Imperfect as the process might be and for the times that it feels one step forward, two steps back, I will always be on the journey to a better "me". I am so grateful that I found this way of life and I am incredibly thankful to those who assisted me on this wonderful path.