Create Positive Change Program – Week 5

“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do the great things while they are small. A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
~Lao Tzu

There’s no point in merely thinking about change. Thinking is an important part of the process, but there is nothing quite so powerful, so inspiring, as deliberate action.

But how many of us dream the dreams, write the plans, visualise the outcomes, and then fail to act? Or act only for a day or two before we let it all slide.

The problem is usually not with our recognition of the need to change. The problem is that we become overwhelmed with how much needs to be done. Or we start out with bold proclamations and grand expectations that place impossible pressures upon us.

(*If that sounds like you, you might benefit from reading this: Do you really need to start with a grand gesture?)

This week we’re going to whittle down our list of dreams, goals and ideals to just a handful of manageable tasks and priorities. It might not look very sexy or impressive, but I promise you that small list will be do-able. And doing is how change happens!

Count Your Blessings!

How’s your Blessings Book going? Have you managed to record a variety of forms of abundance? Are you becoming more aware of the myriad small moments that contribute to our happiness, comfort and ease in the world?

Recording our everyday Blessings reminds us of the good stuff already present in our lives.  This simple practice draws more abundance into our world by focusing our attention on what matters to us.

Once again, this week write down three blessings in your life each day – three simple things for which you are grateful. When we count our Blessings we are inviting positive energy into our lives and putting ourselves into a receptive and abundant state of mind.

Write them like this: Today I am thankful for (the blessing) because (write down a simple reason). eg: Today I am grateful for Owls, because they make me feel connected to my Ancestors and to Country, and they remind me of the magic ever present in my life.

Affirm the Positive!

Take your rock from Week Four and thank it. Write the Affirmation you used in your Blessings Book. You can now place the fourth rock beside your bed or somewhere where you’ll see it often.

Select the fifth rock from the eight you selected at the start of this course. This is your fifth Affirmation Stone. Carry it around with you, or place it somewhere where you can see and hold it every day.

Hold this fifth stone in your hands. Now think of something else in your life that you want to change. This week we’re focusing on what we WILL DO. Affirm that as a statement of declaration to the Universe.

Make your declaration small and achievable. Be okay with its smallness. Be okay with underwhelm. And let this small thing be a daily thing, or a regular thing. I want this thing to be so small that you say to yourself, ‘Really Nicole? Will doing this tiny thing really make a difference?’

But most importantly, back up your declaration with action. State what you will do and then do that thing.

Here are some examples:

I will write 200 words a day.

I will drink my coffee without sugar.

I will do yoga stretches for five minutes each morning.

I will take my lunch to work each day.

I will spend ten minutes tidying up the kitchen before I go to bed.

I will read a story to my children at bedtime.

Each day hold that stone in your hands and repeat your declaration, out loud, or in your mind. You can do this just once, or as many times as you like. Say your declaration with enthusiasm and commitment. Put lots of energy into the words I WILL. Allow yourself to become aligned to the energy of this new action in your life. And most importantly DO that thing you are affirming. For extra support and commitment, feel free to write down your affirmation in the comments or over at our facebook page.

Using your Gratitude Rock!

As you hold your stone tonight say to yourself I am richly Blessed. I have an Abundance of Good in my life.  Then hold in your mind one or more image of a thing you have been grateful for today.  It doesn’t matter if you review your Blessings from your Blessing Book, or add in something new.  Swell that positive energy up in your heart like a beautiful golden light, and give a heart-felt Thank You, Thank You, Thank You to the Universe. Visualise a tiny shower of golden light travelling from your heart into your Gratitude Rock.

Now imagine all of the other people who are taking part in this Positive Change Program with us – people from all over the world, just like you. Once again build up a strong positive energy in your heart, and then imagine shooting a stream of golden light out into the Universe to those people. Each of us benefits for the love and support we share, and we grow stronger and more open and connected.

Say Thank you.  I Bless You.  I intend for you Positive Change, Love, Miracles and Abundance. Know that as you are saying this for them, they are also saying this for you. Feel that connection and gratitude and know that there is real love and support for you here. Place your rock back beside your bed, and close your eyes, cocooned in this good energy. Know that you ARE making positive change in the world, and in your life, and helping others to do the same.

Homework:

Find half an hour in your week, bring your journal and make yourself a cup of tea or take yourself out for a beverage.

Using a highlighter pen, go through your answers to the questions from the previous weeks. Look for themes, words, ideas, concepts and anything else that stands out for you. From these highlighted words and sentences make a rough list of the areas where you want to create change in your life.

Sort through the list and choose your top three items of change.

Then pick just one thing from that list of three. How you pick is up to you. You might like to choose the easiest. You may need to choose the hardest. You could discover that one theme just jumps right out at you, impossible to ignore.

But whatever you do, don’t leave the table until you have decided on your ONE THING.

Now take that one thing and make it your main priority this week. Identify a starting place and create an action you can repeat each day to get you closer to that goal, or a list of three small steps to get you moving in the right direction.

Do that thing. Complete those steps. Let them be small but do them!

Example:

Say I want to write a non-fiction book, but I haven’t started yet. This week I’ll make a small step towards that goal.

I will write 200 words each day.

OR

I will go to the library and get some books about my topic.

I will spend 60 minutes researching my topic and making notes.

I will draw up an outline of my main chapter headings.

So by the end of the week I will have 1400 words on the page, or some research books, some reading done and notes made, and a rough idea of my subject areas and headings.

That amounts to PROGRESS.

Say I want to make my health a higher priority, and I need to get started. This week I’ll make a small step towards that goal.

I will take my lunch to work each day, and my lunch will be meat, salad, water and fruit.

OR

I will buy some exercise clothes and a yoga mat.

I will find a local yoga class and enrol.

I will go to yoga class on Thursday Night.

So by the end of the week I will have eaten healthy meals every day instead of coffee and junk food OR I will have some new yoga clothes, be enrolled in a course and have attended my first class.

Small steps, people. That’s all you need to do! I’m cheering you on.

Lots of love, Nicole xx

PS: If you’d like to review any aspect of this course, or start back at the beginning click here.