The start of a new year usually prompts people to want to make profound changes in their lives. The typical resolutions revolve around things like weight loss, starting to exercise, quitting something like smoking or sugar, being a better person or saving more money – you know the drill.
We want to change, and there’s a certain allure to pressing the reset button.
The truth is that most people shoot themselves in the foot before they even begin, mostly because of the way they phrase their intentions, specifically feel about their intentions and ultimately act on their intentions.
There’s also another element of self-sabotage that most people don’t talk about…
It’s allowing yourself to DREAM BIG
Each year I spend a few hours using the following a powerful process to map out my goals, dreams, wishes and desires for the coming year. I call it The 7-Step Ultimate Intention Setting Process. You can download the worksheet here for free.
For the last 13 consecutive years I’d say that over 80% of the things on the list have manifested or materialized into my reality.
Sometimes they happen years later so here’s a couple of examples of some of the things I wrote down and WHEN they manifested…
2006: “I am grateful to be represented by a top New York literary agent.”
At this point in my life I was living in Melbourne, Australia and had never even been to America. I just wrote this down for fun not knowing how that would ever actually manifest. All I knew was that I am a writer to the core of my soul and having an agent could help.
2017: I was signed to one of the best literary agencies in the world for my concept for the Dear Universe book. Within months I landed a book deal for a quarter of a million dollars.
2007: “I am so grateful to speak at an event with Tony Robbins.“
This intention terrified me. I was so shy and really had no intention of ever learning how to speak in public. The Universe would really have to transform the fabric of reality for this intention to ever manifest.
2019: I was invited to share the stage with Tony Robbins at the Real Estate Wealth Expo in New Jersey. By this time, my Goalcast video had been seen by over 50 MILLION people and my speaking career was just starting to take off.
The reason I am sharing the timing of these manifestations is to remind you to always TRUST IN DIVINE TIMING.
The secret to the lists I write at the end of each year is to also write down how I want to feel about each item and the experience, buzz or thrill it would give me and the impact it would have on others.
So here is the process I use to get into the feeling space with setting intentions no matter what time of year it is…
Step 0: Give yourself some space – approximately 30 minutes or so of uninterrupted time just for you. You’ll need a pen, some paper, a notebook or a worksheet. You might also want a nice glass of wine or a soothing cup of tea.
Step 1: Meditate for 10 minutes to clear your heart/mind. Use this invocation:
“Dear Universe, May I now be given a clear space within my mind/body/spirit to connect with my heart’s truest desires. May I now tune into the greater good for my higher self and allow for my goals, dreams, wishes and desires to flow onto paper.”
Step 2: Itemize the things/experiences you want to create for yourself. Start with 7, or more if you can.
Step 3: Beside each thing or experience write how you would feel when they manifested or you achieved your intention. Would you feel freedom? Would you feel loved? Powerful? Courageous? Sexy? Fierce? Empowered?
Step 4: Action items. Now write one thing you could take action on within the next week that would start the ball rolling in the direction of your goals, dreams, wishes and desires.
Step 5: Trust and surrender. Let it go. Put your list away for a while and hold the essence of the feelings you’re trying to create in your heart as you move forward with the year.
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