There is a call going out from the Universe urging us to step forward into our dreams. It asks us to move outside our comfort levels and follow the path of our hearts. The yearning we all feel for more authentic lives; lives where we feel fulfilled- that is the siren song of the Universe. We look around and see those who have answered that call and we wonder how we can do the same.
How do you answer your own unique call and create a life you love? Here are some simple steps you can take that will move you forward into the life of your dreams.
It begins simply by asking yourself the one question that opens the door for all the rest. What is your wildest dream? You know what I mean, the dream that lights you up and takes your breath away. The dream that triggers your passion and enthusiasm for life? For many of us this is a challenging and difficult question. We are so used to ignoring our heart’s desire that our inner voice has become still or only whispers to us. In order to create a life we love, we need to begin by knowing what we truly want. Do you know what you want?
When I asked myself what is my hearts desire, my wildest dream it was amazing how long it took me to hear a clear response. Oh, I knew what I did not want; I could tell you that in amazing detail. But once we ask that question of ourselves everything changes.
After asking myself that question I realized I wanted to start my own business. This was something I’d always wanted to do but this message felt like a big sacrifice. I was a successful corporate executive with money, respect, and influence but was I happy? No, I was not. This message kept coming and I kept ignoring it- do you know what happens when you ignore a message from the Universe? It gets louder and more insistent. So I was not too surprised when I found out I was about to be laid off.
I knew this was divine guidance. I was out of the corporate world and was given a severance package that allowed me to follow my heart and start my own business. Just what I always wanted! But was it really? Even after starting my own business, I was still hiding from what my heart wanted because initially I started a corporate HR consulting practice. I had no passion for this business but I didn’t let myself hear my heart.
It was only once a friend asked me when I was going to give up this HR thing and follow my true passion that I realized what is the point of going halfway on your dreams. So I focused on my passion and my business changed into what it is today coaching and teaching, a combination that truly lights me up and fills my desire to serve and be of value.
Step 1: What is your wildest dream? Begin to dream right now and let yourself know your hearts true desires, your vision, your purpose. Don’t limit yourself by thinking about how you will create this dream. Just let yourself dream.
If you don’t know what your dream or passion is, there are some ways you can start to identify it. You can make a list of everything you enjoy to do that excites you; focus on those things where you get in the flow and time just fly by- that is a huge clue! Think big and include everything, such as hobbies, activities, family tasks and you might be surprised at what you get there.
After you create this list, look for themes and patterns. Conversely, you can make a list of everything you don’t want to do and use the law of polarity to find the polar opposites; that is a reverse technique! Once you know what you want, you have the first key to manifesting a life you love. See this dream, this vision, and see yourself in it. Put it out to the Universe and state clearly this is what I want in my life.
Step 2: Visualize your success every day. Each and every morning, when you first awaken, visualize the life of your dreams; see it in your minds eye. See yourself having success, and feel the emotions that come with that success, the excitement, joy, enthusiasm, passion and fun. The stronger you can feel the emotions your success brings you, the faster you will manifest that dream. You can use some tools to help you focus on your success daily such as a treasure map. A treasure map is a visual representation of your dream. It is a collage of pictures and words that represent that dream and can include a new home, car, job, family anything you wish to attract in your life. Once you create the map, place it where you will see it daily.
Step 3: Move in the direction of your dream everyday. Do at least 1 thing every day that moves you closer to your goal. It can be a small step. What is most important here is that you take one action every single day. Ask your intuition what do I feel excited about today that will help me achieve my goal? When you get the guidance, follow it! Trust yourself, have courage, have fun, and do what need to be done.
Step 4: Surrender and Trust. Trust the process of creating your life and surrender to divine timing. Wait for your results to appear. The Universe is arranging events, opportunities and meetings to bring you your dreams. Things must fall into place and you cannot rush them. Fear creates blocks that slow us down. Practice releasing your fears to a higher power. See your fears go like releasing a balloon from your hands. Learn to ask for guidance daily. When you do it consistently, the results are spectacular. Ask: what should I do? Then wait and expect the answer to come. This flips on the switch to receive universal wisdom.
Step 5: Follow the Guidance you Receive. The Universe loves action! Await the guidance; listen for it, and then act when you receive it. Acting on your guidance reinforces the seriousness of your desires to the Universe. As you respond to the guidance you receive, the Universe sends more. When you begin to trust and take action on your inner guidance, you begin to live your dreams.
Step 6: Appreciate and Enjoy the Life you Have. Practice an attitude of gratitude. Gratitude is the magnet that brings your dream to you. A daily gratitude practice will enrich your life, create more happiness and attract more of the same. Start a gratitude journal or spend 5 minutes at the beginning and end of your day focusing on what you are grateful for in your life. See the beauty of your life right now and enjoy it. Laugh, have fun, play and focus on joy.
Committing to the life of your dreams is an incredible journey of fulfillment and joy. Daily consistent focus and action will move you towards that life and will open the doors of possibility. There you will the real gift of the pot of gold in your life which is self discovery, self awareness, self confidence and opening up to new opportunities.
Copyright 2007 All Rights Reserved. You may use this article with the permission of the author.
Tara Crawford Roth, CEC, is a certified, insightful and intuitive Business Coach. As a lifelong intuitive and former senior executive with more than 20 years in multinational corporations, she offers the unusual and powerful combination of hands-on business experience coupled with compelling intuition, well-honed communication abilities and improvisational performance skills. Tara is a poised, animated, and motivating coach and intuitive and her passion is to instill more fun, creativity and insight in the lives of others.
Tara’s clients describe her as “candid, engaging, compassionate, challenging, and inspirational.” Working with Tara, you will experience results and the support, enthusiasm and advocacy you need to readily achieve your goals, navigate through change and spark your passions in life.
Tara is a sought after motivational speaker and teacher as well as a trainer for the International Coaching Federation (ICF) accredited iPEC coaching certification program. Tara is a Shamanic initiate and the Founder of the New England Holistic Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting holistic professionals through creating networking and business development opportunities within a community of like-minded business people throughout the region. You can learn more about this organization at www.neholisticchamber.org