Have you ever faced a really big decision? It could be whether to take a different approach to managing your health concerns, taking a new job offer, scaling your business, moving house, getting married, or even asking someone out on a date. How do you decide what to do?

Rationalizing the Decision

Let’s say it’s about taking a job. If you’re anything like I used to be, you rationalize the situation. You think about the pros (you’d perhaps earn more money and be able to afford a fancier holiday this year) and the cons (there would inevitably be more stress, and you like your current job and colleagues). You might even write down a list, with ‘pros’ on one side and ‘cons’ on the other, hoping that will help you decide. Whichever side has more entries should be the side you go for, right?

The Problem with Rational Lists

The problem is that it doesn’t always work like that. Sometimes, you might find that you’ve written 101 reasons on the “Pros” side and barely any on the “Cons” side and yet… you still don’t want to do it. Why is that? It makes no sense!

It’s because our minds often err on the side of caution. While that can be a good thing in some circumstances, it can also have a very negative effect, keeping us stuck in one place, preventing us from moving forward, and stealing our joy.

Recognizing Caution and Changing Course

Perhaps you recognize yourself in that description – you know you’re too cautious but don’t quite know how to change, or you’re tired of watching other people achieve their dreams while yours remain just that: dreams. If you do, then I’ve got good news: this is where it ends. Right here, right now.

The time when you never achieved anything you wanted to achieve? It’s gone. In the past. The time when you can achieve anything you want to achieve? It starts today.

Believing in Yourself

Yes, you may well be thinking. I already do, I believe in my thoughts and what I say to myself, it’s my truth. And anyway, how can you be so sure? I’ll tell you… but first you have to promise me one thing. That you’ll believe me.

Because the simple fact of the matter is that our minds are cynical beasts. They tell us, on a daily basis, that it’s not possible to turn our dreams into a reality. They also tell us that we don’t deserve to. The reality, however, can be quite the opposite.

At this very moment your mind may well be telling you that all this talk of “making your dreams a reality” and “achieving anything you want to achieve” is a load of old nonsense. But your spirit won’t be.

Listening to Your Spirit

Your spirit is the part of you which is sometimes called your heart – the part of you which knows what you want, your true self, but has perhaps been kept downtrodden by your mind.

It doesn’t help that your mind essentially also controls the world that surrounds you. Think about it – if our mind tells us that we have to stay in our current job, and we do, then our physical world, the world essentially the ‘physical matter’ will be that current job. Our mind has once more said to our spirit “See, look, I was right! That’s all they’re capable of!”

For things to change, you need to stop listening to your mind as much as you do. You can experience greater joy, fulfilment, success, and peace – regardless of what you’ve been through in the past.

Your past does not dictate your future.

Just because you’re not experiencing it right now doesn’t mean it can’t exist for you. You just have to believe it. After all, if you’ve had the thought and the desire in your mind then that in itself is an indication of what is possible for you. That’s your sign! What’s required now is  aligning the mind, with matter (outer world), and spirit (inner world) – Mind-Matter-Spirit connection.

Steps to Start Changing

So where do you start?

1. Go for a Walk: Find a quiet space to sit down and contemplate. Grab a notebook and pen, and see where your heart takes you and how your inner wisdom starts to flow. These downloads are so powerful!
2. Observe Your Thoughts: Start to notice the inner chatter and become aware when that monkey mind starts playing up.
3. Reframe Your Thoughts: Once you’ve noticed your thoughts, start to reframe them into a better way of thinking, thoughts that are going to motivate you to propel forward in the direction of your goals, dreams, and ambitions.
4. Ask Yourself Questions: Ask yourself, “What would I like more of in my life?”
5. Visualize Success: Envision what your life would look like if you had achieved that right now. How would you be? How would you think, feel, and act if you were that version of you right now? Then BE that person, right now.