1. WAKE UP TO IT.

Understand that change is happening for a reason. It’s time for you to grow and evolve. Look to the change and ask “what is your purpose?” Let the answer guide you through the process. As Frank Herbert once said, “Without change, something sleeps inside us, and seldom awakens. The sleeper must awaken.”

2. FACE IT.

Moving from a “safe” place and into the unknown can be daunting. But trust in yourself and you will find a way to overcome any obstacle. “Courage is doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared,” said Eddie Rickenbacher. When you feel fear, it’s because the situation you are facing is important to you. So don’t shy away. Face it, and see it as a catalyst for making a fundamental shift in your life.

3. EMBRACE IT.

Change can be uncomfortable. It moves us outside the norm and into the unknown. Sometimes you’d like to stop it or slow it down. But change has its own pace. So embrace it. As Caroline Schoeder said “Some people change when they see the light, others when they feel the heat.” How much heat can you take? The question to ask yourself is “If not now…when?” It makes you think, doesn’t it?

4. COMMIT TO IT.

W.H. Murray in The Story of Everest said “Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth- that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves, too.” There is always a defining moment, a decision point, when you make the commitment to change. Once you do this, something happens. Like a line of dominos that fall naturally of its own accord, so too, do the events that unfold once the decision has been made. The key is to a) put a stake in the ground and commit to it and b) trust in the natural flow of order of life. When you’re on your true path, things happen naturally.

5. DO IT!

Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. When you open yourself to change you open yourself to new opportunities, new experiences and new adventures. To stay where you are means you miss out. To stay where you are keeps you safe, but small. Embrace change with both arms, and be the creator of your own future. As Oprah says, “Not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.” The key is to take the first steps. Do this without attachment to a specific outcome. Then, take a few more steps. Before you know it you’ll look back in astonishment as to how far you’ve leaped!

So step up to the plate, , take that leap of faith and make the changes you know are long overdue. And if you’d like some extra support and inspiration to stay motivated and on track, why not sign up for my free downloadable One Big Gulp! Kit, which you will find at http://www.onebiggulp.com. Remember, it’s your life, your choice, so live your greatest life!

Hurtful memories can stifle your development and growth. How do we break through this insidious mental conditioning? How do we grow and develop beyond hurtful episodes that bury themselves in our subconscious and influence our lives? How do we change and grow so that we can live our dreams?

The first step is to break the hold of these inhibiting influences from the past. Recognize them and then either get rid of them or turn them into a positive force that pushes you ahead rather than holds you back. Identify these inhibiting memories in your life so that you control them rather than allowing them to control you. Did someone hurt your feelings? Forgive them and forget it. Move on. Did someone punish you unfairly? It’s over. It’s done. Go on.

Here are a few of the most common emotions that burrow into the subconscious and impede our growth as individuals:

Anger: This is a natural response to a perceived attack or injury. It makes energy flow. But when allowed to simmer, it depletes energy that could be used to improve your life. If you hold your anger for more than a week, it is only hurting you. Make yourself let go. Envision yourself throwing it out. Ease your mind. Transform your anger into positive motivation. Don’t get mad, get motivated.

Revenge: The first cousin of anger. It also robs you of strength in the long run. The person who has injured you has probably gone on with life; so should you. Don’t let the injury hurt you further by inhibiting your growth. Lose it or use it. Instead of saying, “I’ll get them,” say, “I’ll show them. I’LL BE SOMEBODY!”

Sadness: This is more crippling than anger because it drains you from the start, sapping your will to go on. You probably will have to let this drain away slowly at its own pace. Time heals, but if the sadness seems to linger, consciously force it out. Seek out things that make you laugh and feel positive about life. Realize that feeling sad will not change anything. Seek peace of mind as your right.

Resentment: Life is not always fair. It is unrealistic to feel any other way, and holding on to resentment is no way to fight back. Drop it and get back into the battle.

Guilt: Guilt is another emotion that stands between you and your dreams. All of us have done things we feel bad about and regret. Things we would do differently. Many of us carry that guilt around and it keeps us from moving forward. Don’t let people put you on a guilt trip. Say to yourself when someone is putting you on the defensive, “No matter what you do or say to me, I am still a worthwhile person.”

To rid yourself of these past emotions, put them in a perspective that is positive rather than negative and thereby cut off their painful roots in your subconscious. Reinterpret the past with these methods: Get better, not bitter. Find a quiet, comfortable place. Sit back and relax. Think about something or someone who caused you pain or disappointment. Now take a mental step back from that feeling and the situation. Assess it. Did the emotions that resulted make you stronger? Did they give you determination? Can you use those memories to empower you rather than drain you? Why let them hurt you further?

If you’re having trouble getting inspired, it may be simply your choice of verbs. Here are 5 action verbs that can help get you inspired and get you out of your rut.

We’ve all been stuck in that place where things just don’t seem to go forward. We have trouble getting motivated and our goals seem either out of reach, or too weak. In short, we are uninspired! Master motivator Tony Robbins tells us that it’s not that people are lazy, it’s that most people have weak, or as he puts it, impotent goals.

Some self improvement experts will tell you that you have to have a good attitude in order to improve your life. I would agree with that, but it’s not always that easy. It’s hard to set aggressive goals and get inspired to achieve them when your mindset is not right.

If your mind is not ready to embrace more exciting goals, then change will be at best, difficult. In fact, if you’re not ready for it, then it will be hard to conquer even small challenges. If you can’t take on small challenges, then it’s going to be impossible to change your life to the degree you’d ultimately like.

To that end, I recommend using action to inspire yourself and create change. In effect, we’re placing the cart before the horse here, and forcing our attitude to match our actions. If you shake things up by taking action first, you’ll get your mind ready to create and pursue more exciting goals.

Below are 5 inspiring action verbs that you can use to shake things up and get yourself mentally ready to take on new challenges. If you use these techniques, even in small ways, you will naturally find yourself on the road to change. Change leads to bigger and better goals. Bigger and better goals lead to accepting greater challenges… and so on, and so on.

1. Give – Give to a charity, an individual in need, or simply a friend or relative. You don’t have to give something expensive or big. Just a show of appreciation will do, such as a card or a flower. Why it works… giving is a very uplifting experience since it frees your mind from thinking that there is not enough in the world. Giving teaches you that there is plenty to go around, and it will cause you to attract more good things in your life.

2. Learn – Learn a new language or a new dance. Learn about something you know nothing about, or learn to play a song on the piano or guitar. Why it works… learning something new develops your nervous system and makes you think in ways you’ve never thought before.

3. Change – Change your routine, take a different route to work, change your usual clothing style, your hair style, or change what you normally eat. Why it works… change begets change. If you want a big change, start by making a small change.

4. Participate – Participate in community activities, a sports team, or join a club. Why it works… participation requires social interaction and creativity, both of which will stimulate and inspire.

5. Create – Create a piece of art, write a short story, make a bookshelf, or start a web site. Why it works… creating stimulates all those dormant forces that allow change to enter your life.

Each time you perform one of these inspiring actions, take several minutes to feel good about it. You want your attitude to catch up to your actions. Also make sure that you enjoy the process, knowing that what you are doing is good for you and those around you as well.

Sometimes, just the exercise of reviewing these action verbs will be inspiration enough to get you thinking of what you could do to change your life. I hope you enjoy using these inspiring action verbs to change your mental state and improve your life. I’m sure that now you can think of some on your own. Remember, though, nothing happens without taking action!