What are your dreams? What are the lofty goals you filed away? You can retrieve those bits of inspiration and mold your life into something that gives you a sense of satisfaction and pride. When you see your reflection in the mirror, you will recognize it . . . and smile.
This book is designed to be used daily over the span of one year. You will need a quiet place and five to ten minutes, along with a pen and a notebook. So turn the page to Day 1 and begin your journey.
1
What will your future hold? Have you even thought about it? Are you afraid to think about it? Are you looking forward to the future, or are you dreading it? Why?
Are you willing to have a little faith? What is faith? Sometimes it is described as a strong belief in something for which there is no proof. If that’s the case, then faith is exactly what you need right now.
You can’t predict the future. What you can do is let go of the baggage of your past and move forward without expectations. There is no evidence to prove this book will change your life. Take that first step in faith. Walk boldly into this endeavor, and have faith that if you are simply willing to make one small change at a time, you will begin to see huge results. You don’t need to see the whole staircase. You don’t need to put any limitations on your future. Just take that first step toward change.
Your lesson today is easy and fun. You get to dream about your staircase. Your assignment is to get a notebook. You can go to a bookstore and pick out a fancy journal or find a quirky spiral notebook at your local drug store. It can be silly or pretty or bold or non-descript. The only requirement is that you take it with you wherever you go. Keep that notebook with you for at least a week and write down your dreams whenever they pop into your head. It doesn’t matter if they are impossible. Don’t judge them. Just write them down. Have faith. Take that first step.
2
You shape your future every day through the choices you make. That’s sort of a hard one to swallow, isn’t it? It would be much easier to say you are a victim of circumstances. Then you don’t have to act. Your choices create your reality. They are far more important than aptitude or circumstance.
Say you have a boss who is constantly criticizing your work. They pick on you so much that you are starting to mistrust your ability to perform your job. You can choose to believe your boss, or you can trust yourself and leave the doubter in the dust. Think about how you respond to people who make you feel small. Why are you giving them power?
Does your level of education define you? Does it limit you? That, too, is a choice. You may not think you’re smart enough to earn a degree or apply for a better job. Is that really true, or did you choose not to do the work? There are a million ways to add to your abilities, and they don’t all come with huge price tags or scary entrance exams. Have you thought about seeking a mentor or applying for an apprenticeship? Have you even explored your talents to find out where your aptitudes lie?
Today, your assignment is to observe your choices. Look at every decision you make, from the food you eat to the time you spend on various tasks, to the people you choose to hang out with. Are you making choices that limit you or choices that nurture you?
3
A couple of days ago, you started a notebook of dreams. How is that going? Have you written anything down yet? If you haven’t, what are you waiting for? Get busy! You are not going to change by just reading this book. If you have been working on your dream notebook, pat yourself on the back. Good job! You are taking that first step in faith.
Today’s lesson is about boldness. It’s a wonderful word that means to have courage, to plunge forward even when there is risk involved. To be bold also means to be clear or distinct. Bold type is stronger. It stands out.
Be bold about your dreams. Take risks. There is genius in being bold, because it is the opposite of being shy and uneasy. It shows direction and commitment. You can either apologize for your life, or you can step up to the plate and go for it. What do you have to lose? A boring and unfulfilling life?
You don’t have to even believe in yourself to be bold. It’s like standing on the high dive for the first time. You don’t have to know what it’s going to feel like to plunge into that cold water. You just have to dive off.
Your assignment today is to look at some of your dreams. Pick one. What can you do to boldly go in the direction of that dream? Is there a clear and distinct move you can make today that will start to hurl you toward that goal? Would it really be so scary? What first step can you take in faith? The results may be magical.
4
You are a powerful being. Do you realize the immense authority you have at this very moment to influence the world?
