Life! By Design_ 6 Steps to an Extraordinary You - Laura Morton [65]
Sure enough, the mechanic said he wanted to buy investment property.
Perfect! The man set up his second appointment in less than five minutes. By the time the tow truck pulled into the mechanic’s shop, he was there to meet his daughter and the driver. After a few minutes of talking, the driver mentioned that he and his wife were saving up to buy their first home. He set up his third appointment—all thanks to his daughter’s car breaking down!
Choose to declare everything that happens in life as perfect and see how the world opens up. Your shift in attitude alone will help you navigate life’s ups and downs.
I play the perfect game every day because life happens. I have a buddy who recently told me about huge losses he has suffered in the stock market. He rattled off a number that made me weak in the knees, and yet he said it with calm and peace in his voice. He explained that he had no control over the stock market, no say in its ups or downs. He didn’t get excited when the market was riding the wave of success, nor did he panic with the sudden loss. His balanced approach has helped him navigate his way through the treacherous waters. We can’t control everything that happens in life, but we can control how we react to it. When a situation presents itself, it is our stimulus response that dictates the outcome.
So, what do you do to have the power?
1. Release: Who and/or what am I incomplete with? What do I need to let go of?
2. Gratitude: What am I grateful for now?
3. Declaration of my intentions: What do I want to attract and achieve?
EQUALS LIFE BY DESIGN
I teach my clients to do something every morning that brings them power. If you do that, the rest of your day will automatically flow. For some people, that might be going to the gym. For others, it may call for daily affirmations, which are positive, present-tense statements that you make to yourself. It’s all about creating the right mind-set for the day. Whatever your process, the idea is to begin each day with a clean slate.
I start out every morning by doing three things: I clean my slate by letting go of anything that happened in the past, and start my day without carrying over those emotions so I can begin each day with the clarity and focus I need to achieve my goals. I do this by writing out all the things I feel incomplete with or need to let go of. I follow the basic premise of not bringing yesterday into today’s possibilities. I write down all the things I am grateful for or love about my life now. Once you are in a state of gratitude, you have shifted your focus to the extraordinary things in your life, which allows you to declare, with conviction and clarity, those things you want to attract in your life.
Next, I declare my intentions by practicing affirmations—simple, positive, present-tense statements I make that tell the truth about the future in advance. In Chapter 8, I explain in more detail the power of affirmations and how you can practice them.
The third action I take every morning is to note the things I most want to attract and achieve. I do this by implementing a detailed schedule or checklist each day that I approach with joy, passion, and enthusiasm. Even though I have been living By Design for years, I still map out my entire schedule, which includes my daily, weekly, monthly, and annual goals in great detail. I do this so I know exactly what I am committed to, where I’m headed, and how I plan to get there. My belief is, If it’s not on my schedule, it doesn’t exist.
I write entries on my calendar such as:
“6 p.m. Friday—Attend Michael’s basketball game, practice shooting baskets with him before game, be present during game and be there for my son!”
“10 a.m. Tuesday—Coaching call with client—check on his relationship progress, new workout routine, personal achievements, number of sales calls made last week and how many of those translated into a sale. Inspire client to live By Design!