Mention the word change and the responses from people are varying degrees of negative or positive. Of course, the reaction also depends on the type of change and whether the change is deliberate or unforeseen. My goal is to help us open a dialogue regarding our perspective on change. I’d like to see change be happier for people to manage and help people move from fear to confidence. Because change is happening all around us, all of the time, it’s to your advantage to know how to navigate it to the best of your abilities.
As a Master Life Coach, I have guided people across the globe through various situations and circumstances using The Ten Points of change. I created these years ago when I founded The Best Ever You Network and have used them for years. These points are used for making a change or adapting to unforeseen circumstances and they allow you to become a change master. This creates a process that you can engage in and turn to in times of need, crisis, or to alter your life’s course.
One of my favorite points is the first one, ASSESS. This is a point where we practice self-awareness and self-reflection. We examine the truth and what you want to change and where you want your life to go. If you don’t know about it, you can’t change it, so this point entails honest, authentic self-reflection.
I am proud to share this excerpt with you from The Change Guidebook regarding this point.
Think of yourself as a collector of data and the information is all about you. Who you are, what you do, why you do what you do, where you are in life, how you feel, and more. As you collect information voluntarily or involuntarily, your heart is a data processor. It examines the heart-based truth about what you want to change and where you want your life to go. This is a point of honest self-reflection to make change deliberately or adapt to an unforeseen change or unexpected circumstance.
In these situations, take inventory and assess the situation. Don’t assess in comparison to others because that blocks gratitude. Remember, as someone is ticking, another is tocking; as someone is zigging, another is zagging. Be authentically you. This is an honest assessment in all areas of your life, including the language you use with yourself and perhaps others.
Let’s begin aligning your heart, truths, and energy to find success in all areas of your life. We will begin with one of the most important tips for success.
SUCCESS TIP: Be Brave and Think with Your Heart
Your heart is your main operational center. So many people ignore their heart because they are overthinking. Too much brain-based thinking creates a situation where you lose sight of thinking with your heart. When you aren’t tuned in to hear your heart, you get caught up in the cycle of overthinking. Please take a moment with me to pause and place your hands over your heart and say, “I am brave. I think with my heart.” I do this pause practice and affirmation each morning and perhaps multiple times during the day.
SUCCESS TIP: Ground Yourself in Gratitude
As you are assessing your life, root that assessment firmly in gratitude. For example, if you are longing for a career change or life change, know that many climb the ambition ladder with no awareness. Be the one with awareness of others and do not become a trampler of other people’s hearts, minds, and souls. Compassion becomes nonexistent when people run roughshod over others to get what they want without practicing conscious ambition. When you practice conscious ambition, you are allowed, of course, to want or need more and get what you want or need, but you go about it with respect for yourself and others around you.
So as you are assessing your life, hear my words: “May gratitude guide you.” You can actually replace “gratitude” with any uplifting and powerful word. Say a few with me here:
May love guide me.
May joy guide me.
May peace guide me.
You get the drift. If you need to say it to others, please borrow it and say, “May love guide you,” “May gratitude guide you,” and so forth. These are wonderful phrases to give someone some direction with their heart in mind. Have conscious ambition practices rooted within you.
Be aware that we aren’t all the same. We don’t have the same experiences that have brought us to this moment, and we don’t all have the same vibration or energy. We are all different and yet the same in so many ways that bring us together. Others are more aware and some less so, so be conscious of your heart and your time, as well as how you move around the universe with your heart guiding you to be aware of others.
Surround yourself with love. As you encounter the souls who haven’t yet learned this, be kind. When you see another who isn’t behaving in a way that best appeals to you, apply love, kindness, and gratitude and maybe think of it like this: They will be better for having encountered me. While they may be the biggest jerk you’ve encountered to this moment, when you apply compassion, they are better for having encountered you. As for that moment, perhaps they haven’t experienced what you’ve experienced, and your moment will guide them or change their course. Always remember that the person you encountered is someone else’s child—or a wonderful love of their life, best caregiver, or so forth. So be kind; they just may not be for you. Conscious ambition creates the pause to guide you to make considerate and compassionate choices and behaviors.
I’d like to challenge everyone reading this to take a moment to champion others. Another person’s win might be your best day! There is plenty of room for all of us to be happy and succeed. Herald and compliment others whenever possible. People need to hear it and be reminded.
An invitation to dive deeper. I hope you’ll join me on this journey of changing the way we think about change and how we impact the lives of others. My new book is a Master Class in change and you can receive a certification. Learn more at www.besteveryou.com/changeguidebook and download your free gift, Create Your Best Life, an assessment you can use to guide you.
This excerpt is from Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino’s new book, The Change Guidebook: How to Align Your Heart, Truths, and Energy to Find Success in All Areas of Your Life. Reprinted with permission from Health Communications, Inc.
