You’re reading a blog called “Your Charmed Life,” and I’d like to give you on this May Day some suggestions that I think lead to living one. These are the 12 I came up with, drawing on my new book Living a Charmed Life, for the teleclass I taught last night for GlobalTeleclass.com. 500 people were in attendance and I only got through seven of the twelve ideas, so I promised attendees both the rest and a recap in today’s blog.
A Dozen Life Charmers
- Attitude is everything. The attitudes that give you the most bang for the buck are acceptance (accept how things are today and how you are today, even as you work to change them); appreciation (appreciate everything, and show your thanks to God and people); and light-heartedness: find the joy in today, no matter what is going on.
- Believe in yourself. Not only are you good at certain things, you are innately worthy. This has nothing to do with what you’re good at, what you’re not good at, and what mistakes you’ve made. We’ve all made mistakes and we’re all not good at some things. And yet, each of us is innately worthy.
- Work with the Law of Expectation which states: “Those who look for miracles get them; those who look for something less get that.”
- Deal with the big kahuna, the real problem. Sometimes what we really have to face and deal with seems so daunting, we try to pretend it’s not there, or that the problem is something. As an example — If you think you have a weight problem, think again: it’s a hurting-yourself-with-food problem; the weight is merely a symptom. Deal with what’s really going on, and you’ll really change your life.
- Give yourself fully to the activity at hand. When you’re totally “in life,” life is sweet indeed. So whether it’s washing the dishes or walking the dog or driving to work or snuggling into bed at night, be with what you’re doing. Experience the beauty, the comfort, the humor, the energy — whatever it is, there’s a gift in there somewhere.
- Inhabit a body that’s fully alive. This is the health-and-vitality piece. Work out, even if you think you hate to work out. (I find that I only hate it when I’m not doing it.) Eat beautiful foods with lots of colorful produce. Make fresh juice to give yourself a life energy transfusion. This will change your very cells, the stuff you’re made of as a physical being.
- Live exceedingly well. You don’t have to have a big bank account in order to live well, but you do have to have a lot of willingness to live well. Find ways to joy and humor and beauty and inspiration into your life, regardless of your budget. Save some money and give some money, even a little bit, so you’ll feel prosperous. Acknowledge your boundless creativity and your ability to do amazing things. Then do them.
- Just like the movie of a year or so ago: make a ‘bucket list.’ Write down 100 things you want to do before you die. Don’t get tense about it: you can change it, delete entries, add others. Just get down on paper what you’d regret not doing. Some of the things will be fairly easy. You can do one this week. The more momentous ones — look for my birth parents, visit Antarctica — will take some doing. Make a start.
- Ask for what you want. Then let it go. In Living a Charmed Life, I call this “the cosmic two-step.” You ask — hopefully, affirmatively, fearlessly. And then you let it go, trusting the universe. Your work is done, other than responding appropriately when there is some action you need to take. (This may be a huge action — i.e., get Ph.D. — but when you take it in response to having asked for what you want, then letting the outcome go, no action is onerous, and any necessary action becomes possible.)
- Be the self you were created to be. Chameleons are cute, but we’re not supposed to change colors to fit in. We need to stand out, even when it’s uncomfortable. You are the best you going. Show that to the world.
- Keep yourself inspired, psyched, and pumped up. Negative energy is heavy and sticky; it’s easy to pick up. Avoid taking it on by reading positive books, listening to positive talks, and be around positive people. Yes, some folks will tell you’re being unrealistic: that’s just because their reality is so awful, they’ve decided it’s the only reality there is.
- Persist, no matter what. You may have to shift your course, change your direction, or fall in love with Plan B. Whatever it is, persist. There is no guarantee that persisting means you’ll win, but if you don’t persist, you’ll lose.
Attention single women: Here’s a truly terrific — practical AND spiritual — book for you: Good Date, Bad Date: The Matchmaker’s Guide to Where the Boys Are and How to Get Them, by Marla Martensen (It’s the publisher’s title — there is so much more here. Trust me. I loved reading this book and I’m solidly and happily married.)
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