This is a guest article from Carrie Severson, CEO of: www.seversonsisters.org
I look at my life as one extraordinary book. And it’s by far the coolest piece I’ll ever write.
I love starting new books and new chapters. Here we are at the start of a brand new year which means—a brand new book begins right now!
Do you want your new book and New Year to have a clear direction? I do! And I want you to as well!
When I’m out in the community inspiring others to live each day with intention and purpose, I typically get the same reaction—blank stare and big, wide eyes! And that’s usually followed with the same question, “Where do I start?”
Here are a handful of ideas to help you create a clear path filled with intention and purpose for your new book and New Year!
1. Write Out Your Heart’s Desires
To create a clear path, you first have to know the direction in which you want your path to go. What do you REALLY welcome? To help you get a clear picture of your heart’s desires and where you want to go in 2015, my first recommendation is for you to write out a Yearly Vision.
Grab a notebook or computer and sit down somewhere quiet. Break out your life into sections you want to focus on in 2015. I typically write down a maximum of four areas each year. For example: My 2014 Yearly Vision focused on my professional life, love life, health/well-being, and finances.
Pick areas in your life and write down how each area of life would look and feel in a perfect world. Keep your Yearly Vision document somewhere close by and look at it at the start of each week or month. Keeping it in a night stand or drawer in your office.
2. See it Every Day
My second recommendation to create a clear path for this New Year is to add in a visual element into your Yearly Vision to make a Vision Board! This one will take a bit of time.
To create a Vision Board, you’ll need a large piece of construction paper and your favorite magazines. Your first step is to write down overall themes you notice in your Yearly Vision document. What comes up the most? Are you looking for love? A healthier lifestyle? To gain and give away more money? Write down all the themes you can find. Your Vision Board will be filled with images related to your Yearly Vision themes.
Words are my Super Power so the Yearly Vision document helps me know where I’m going from a big picture concept. Creating a Vision Board helps me know in what direction to step each day to gain my heart’s desires.
Get as creative as you desire. Glue images to your construction paper and put your Vision Board somewhere private where only you can see it. Look at this masterpiece of yours every single day before you leave your house and let these images fill you up to set your day on the right course.
3. Ease Into Your Day with Grace and Three Steps
Give yourself permission to ease into your day with grace. Do what feels right to you to find peace and gratitude. Meditate, stretch, write or pray. Once you’re clear-headed, write down three steps you can take that day to get closer to your heart’s desire.
Just that one simple adjustment of your day can change your mindset for your entire day. You’ll go from rushing through your day to moving through your day with clear intention and purpose. Get up 15 minutes earlier if you have to. The paper, Facebook, exercise and everyone else’s breakfast can wait until you get into your groove!
Setting intentions each day has been a practice of mine for the last five years and it’s one of my secrets to success. Intentions help me create a clear path for my day.
4. Clear Out the Clutter
Most of us think of food or beverages as the only toxins in life. The truth is, people and how they affect our emotions can be our triggers to what we eat and drink! As you get clearer on where you’re going and what you welcome in life, you’ll start to jive differently with certain people in your life. And that’s ok.
Be sure to surround yourself with people who will support your New Year Vision and direction. Join new meet-up groups or new clubs and slowly back away from folks who don’t support you or your highest good and fullest potential.
5. Enjoy the Victories
Most people have a to-do list each day and cross off items on their list. STOP that! Celebrate your accomplishments each day! Put a STAR next to each step you take every day that leads you closer to your heart’s desires.
Celebrate by doing a little dance party in your living room or calling a friend to share your excitement! You did a 45-minute Pilates class and your goal is to be healthier? AWESOME! You did it! Congrats!
Give yourself permission to stay in a state of gratitude for yourself. And watch what happens throughout your year.
I’m going to fill my 2015 with new characters and memorable chapters in new places. What are you going to create your 2015 with? Have fun creating your clear path!
Author Bio:
Carrie Severson is an empowerment guru. As the CEO of Severson Sisters and Severson Connection she’s dedicated to empowering others to live authentically. In 2012, Carrie was featured in Glamour magazine for her work with Severson Sisters. In 2013, she was named as the Phoenix Young Non-Profit Professional of the Year. Later that same year, she was selected by USA Network and NBCUniversal as one of the 2013 “Characters Unite” award winners. She was also inaugurated in her High School Wall of Recognition in Wisconsin. In 2014, she was named as one of the Women Who Move the Valley by Arizona Foothills Magazine.