part0007

As I stated before, your state of mind is creating a future for you whether you want to believe it or not. I know there are already times in the few chapters you have read that your current state of mind has said that a new future is not possible for you. How could it be if you are what you are, you live where you live, and you do what you do? You will always be what you have always been, and you will live into the very future you don’t want if you do not take control of your state of mind now.

So how do you change your state of mind effectively and for long term success? You will need to create a blank mental canvas on which to rewrite your future. This will involve getting rid of any self-defeating thoughts, behaviors and beliefs. Any ideas, attitudes and habits that have not been serving you positively need to be gone.

You have learned all of these beliefs over the years and they can be unlearned. Be brutally honest with yourself when determining what is helping you and where you are holding yourself back. You are essentially taking all the personal baggage you have accumulated over the years and tossing it out.

Now is the time to stop blaming others for what you don’t have. There is no room for jealousy, envy, hate or anger. Whoever you believed has wronged you, forgive them and move on. You no longer have complaints because you are in control of everything you have. You are in control of how you react to every event and every person.

If you find yourself to be critical of others or are judging them based on your perceived definition of success, you need to stop. These mindsets and behaviors will do nothing for you in accomplishing your goals. You need to clear all of those judgments and complaints to create a blank canvas.

The beauty of being able to rewrite your future is that all of your problems tend to disappear with the pursuit of your newly defined vision of life. It is very important to realize you are usually at the center of all of your problems, and what you consider to be problems can be eliminated easily by changing your perception of them.

Part of creating a blank canvas is to also complete what you have been putting off. It could be something as simple as paint the house or as complex as mending or ending a relationship that is in despair. Apologize to anyone who you have offended or hurt and ask for forgiveness. These things are our mental clutter and need to be dealt with.

What you will need to do is make a plan for completing the task and attack it with a sense of urgency. The alternative is to acknowledge that you have made a commitment to either yourself or someone else and you need to break that commitment. This will require a conversation or two to take responsibility for not following through, but is well worth having to set you free. Do not leave any loose ends.

Actively start to become the person you need to be. This isn’t always the most pleasant process and can hurt a bit when we have to admit to ourselves where we are not happy. In each area of life be honest with what really needs to be done. If you need to lose 30 pounds then just admit it. If you have been in an unhealthy relationship then face the reality, you need it to change. If you are the negative Nancy at the office take accountability for it. Remove any states of denial you are in as to why you are who you are.

When you finally have your blank canvas finished you will have created a new sense of personal awareness. You will realize what was working for you and what wasn’t. You should record both in your journal: What hasn’t worked for you are those life lessons you do not want to relive again, what is working is exactly what you want to create more of or attract to your life.

It comes down to asking yourself the age old question “Knowing what I know now if I had to do it all over again what wouldn’t I do and what would I do more of?”

"Within you right now is the power to do things you never dreamed possible. This power becomes available to you just as soon as you can change your beliefs." - Dr. Maxwell Maltz

What beliefs do you have about yourself that need to be modified or eliminated to create the change you want in your life? How are these beliefs currently showing up in your actions towards others?