The Seven Days Phase
Day 1: Note Down Your Goals
I cannot stress enough how important it is to not only have goals, but to write them down. To me, if it is not written down it is merely a wish or a dream. A written goal has legitimacy and a purpose that dreams just do not. Writing down your goals will help you to remember them in vivid detail, especially when the road gets tougher. Remember, a goal recognizes you are not currently where you want to be, but provides recognition that you do have the desire and the ability to find a path to get there.
Take 5 minutes or 60 minutes, whatever it takes, and write down 3-5 goals that you hope to accomplish in this process. Write down 3-5 goals that you want to achieve in the next 21 days, two months or one year to come. Finally, write out 3-5 crazy, out-of-this-world goals that you’re almost too embarrassed to admit. I’ll share with you one of mine. I am not in the entertainment business. I am not an actor, I am not a director, nor do I have a talent for either of these things. However, I have a goal to win an Oscar and stand on that stage by the time I’m 45 years old. I know it’s crazy, but it’s on my list…see, it’s not so hard. The important thing is to HAVE goals, no matter how “out there” they are. If you do not have a clear view of where you are going, how are you ever going to get there?
If you’re still having trouble coming up with your goals, then try answering these questions:
- What vacation would I love to take with my family?
- How much money do I want to make?
If the above questions don’t get you where you feel like you need to be, it’s ok to start a little broader.
Now that your goals have been articulated AND written down, spend the day thinking about them. Make sure they are important to you and on the path towards where you ultimately want to go. From personal experience, achieving a goal that has little to no true meaning to you will be extremely
difficult.
Have an awesome day and let’s meet up again tomorrow after you have let your goals percolate a bit!
Day 2: Determine a Reason to be Optimistic Today
First, always be optimistic: You might have observed some people in your life who never consider taking a positive approach to their lives, rather they keep obsessing about past regrets. They always focus on the negative prior incidents, rather than the positive experiences they have encountered. So, they need to shift to an optimistic approach to life that can help them understand how to stay happy throughout their life.
Pause and ponder about this for a moment. We are always searching for evidence to confirm the worst. I won’t get that job because I am too old or too young. I will never win because I never win anything. I can’t afford a new car, new dress or a new coat. So we don’t get the job, win the contest or buy that new thing. We don’t even try. If you don’t enter a contest, you certainly cannot win it.
We don’t try because we already know the reason why something won’t work for us, so it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. What would happen if we looked for a reason why something positive will happen instead? Our attitude about trying would change for the better. That’s the first thing that will happen – we start off with a positive attitude and march forward.
Take this moment to imagine one reason why you will accomplish the goal you want to succeed at today. If you can find two, make a mental note of two. When you find three reasons why something will work for you instead of fail, you are well on your way.
Now look for the evidence you are right to believe you will accomplish this goal. Be open to little things such as encouraging words from people, a chance meeting or an unexpected stroke of luck. Give thanks for each piece of evidence and accept it with a grateful heart.
Here’s a powerful way to reinforce your desire to succeed at anything today. Say out loud, “I am optimistic. I know good things are happening for me.
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.”
Repeat it throughout the day – especially if you find nagging doubt about something you want to do. Say it. Think it. Be it. Find a reason to be optimistic. Remember, there is always a reason, so dig as deep as necessary in order to surface it.
Day 3: Make or Organize Your Bed
Before you leave the house this morning, make your bed. I know it seems like a small and trivial task, but I have a feeling it will work wonders for you. It is a task that only requires a few minutes of your time but can help jumpstart your day in ways you have probably never dreamed imaginable. Key benefits include:
- Starting your day with productivity
Starting out with something productive will help you maintain that mindset as you face more difficult challenges throughout your day. - Starting your day with something active
Get up, get moving and get the blood flowing to activate the awesomeness coming your way today. - Starting your day by checking something off your list
Completing a task can set off a chain reaction of activities designed at
completing more tasks. Start with something small and work your way up to something HUGE! - Starting your day with a WIN
It is always a positive when you start out your day with a goal and then you achieve it; no matter how small that goal may be.
In addition to the many benefits making your bed has on the start of your day, it can be beneficial to the end of your day as well. A made bed is considerably more appealing to crawl into after you’ve just crushed your day. And, with any luck, the appealing bed you so diligently made earlier this morning will produce a better night’s rest to help you move even closer to your goals tomorrow.
Already make your bed every day? Spend time reflecting on how it is a positive in your life that is helping you achieve your goals. I’d be willing to bet, you’ve never thought about this daily routine as something that will drive you closer to your dream life. Want extra credit? Write yourself a positive note and leave it on your pillow as a gift to yourself for the end of the day.
Day 4: Be Grateful for Everything
We often think of happiness as causing us to spontaneously jump up and down for joy, laugh hysterically or smile until our cheeks burst.
Of course, those are all outward signs of happiness.
But you don’t always have to make a spectacle of yourself to be happy.
Sometimes you can just be still and content, enjoying the feeling that everything is all right.
Remember being a kid and laying on the grass just gazing at the sky? At that moment, everything was all right in the world. But you didn’t care at that moment in time, just laying there gazing at the sky. To you, everything was all right. And so that’s how you let everything be in that singular, magical moment.
That’s being grateful. That’s happiness too.
How wonderful life is when we can be grateful for nothing at all. Little kids have this ability down pat.
You were a little kid once. You shook off the worries of the day and just gazed at the sky. Now the ups and downs of the years have taken their toll. It’s not so easy anymore.
Or is it?
That little sky gazing kid is still you. Now is a good time to let your inner kid out again and be grateful for seemingly nothing at all.
Take a few minutes to remember a sky gazing moment. Maybe you were mesmerized by the ocean. Maybe you lost yourself in a blade of grass. Maybe you were caught in the magic of falling snow.
Search your heart and find that memory. Bring it forward and feel it all over again. Then go outside. Lose yourself in the sky, the moon, the stars, the rain, or whatever catches your fancy.
Be still and just let everything be right with the world again.
Try this affirmation, “I am young in spirit and free. I see the good in life and good comes to me. I am blessed with a wonderful, warm home. I am blessed with [insert two of your most readily apparent positive aspects of your life].”
Day 5: Mark Your Nutrition
Today’s activity involves writing down everything that goes into your body. I would like for you to keep a food journal that tracks your food and beverage intake for an entire day. The idea here is to not beat yourself up for the food choices that you’re making, but to have an inventory of what you are consuming. Knowledge is power, especially with your food.
We all know that your body needs fuel, but we also know that it needs the right type. We are operating high-performance machines! You probably wouldn’t put the lowest grade of gas into a Lamborghini, would you? Why do the same to your body? You also wouldn’t keep pumping after the tank is full, right? So, no need to keep eating once your body tells you it’s had enough.
I feel that most of us (myself definitely included) do not realize how much we are eating in a given day or how often. Snacking, when not controlled, can be a dangerous increase in calories. In addition to how often we are eating, most of us struggle with portion control. The hope is that by keeping a log of food and beverage intake then we can make better choices going forward leading to improved health, energy and stamina.
If you need help tracking, it can be as simple as a piece of paper or as extensive as a notebook purchased strictly for this exercise. Another great option would be an app. Numerous free apps are available that help you track your food and beverage intake and can make it very simple and convenient for you. The idea here is to make it as simple as possible so that you are able to stick with it.
Oh, and one last thing, DO NOT READ YOUR JOURNAL. We will work on the results tomorrow, but for tonight, only write and track; do not read.
Day 6: Smile Before Leaving the House
We put on shirts, skirts or pants, and shoes. We pick our colors in all kinds of hues. We dress to express and impress.
We wear boots to protect against the snow. We wear coats to protect against the rain. We wear hats to protect against the sun.
We slip on sunglasses and sandals. We carry purses and bags. We grab laptops, cell phones and keys.
We arm ourselves with all the tools we need to face the day. Except we forget the one fashion accessory we really need – a smile.
Smiles can open closed minds and melt warm hearts. They can turn a ‘no’ into a ‘yes’ in the blink of an eye. In fact, a smile can catch an eye in a blink.
The right smile is disarming and charming. It is a shield against the ills of the world. Backed up with love, a smile can help you conquer the world.
It’s your secret weapon. Hone it to perfection.
Stand in the mirror and smile. Smile at yourself. Smile with love on your heart. Smile until you feel it and know it to be you.
Then go face the world.
You’ll get all its treasure and enjoy it with pleasure.
Your smile is your greatest asset. Never leave home without it.
Here’s a smile boosting affirmation, “My smile is love and love is my smile. I am beautiful.”
Day 7: Wake Up 20 Minutes Earlier
Today’s task will take place at the end of the day. I know to most of us, sleep is a precious resource of which we never have enough. Health experts recommend 6-8 hours per night and that can really be a struggle for many of us with jobs, kids and chores around the house. With that said, having an extra 20 minutes in the morning can help knock out some of those dreaded chores, or at the very least, help to prevent you from rushing around in the morning trying to get out the door. This rush will inevitably kick off your day with a stress-filled anxiety attack. Starting your day in this manner can have halo effects on everything else you do that day and can prevent you from living your best life to the fullest potential.
I am not saying that setting your alarm 20 minutes earlier will not be a challenge; especially at first. This is one piece that will take some getting used to, but I promise, you will adapt and you will thank me later. I think you will find that it will take less time than you think to get your body acclimated and ready to roll on 20 minutes less sleep. If you’re still struggling after a few days, there is always the option of going to bed 20 minutes earlier, which may happen naturally if you have less chores in the evening and are more relaxed.
Now that you have your alarm set 20 minutes earlier, the hard part starts. You actually have to WAKE UP AND GET OUT OF BED when the alarm goes off. You may need to try tricks like placing your alarm clock far away from the bed, so you have to actually get up to go and switch it off. REMOVE THE SNOOZE. I promise, you’ll love it (although maybe not at first).
For me, getting up earlier has had many life-changing benefits. First, I’ve found that I really enjoy the quietness of my house. There is something very soothing about a dark and quiet house while I have my coffee. Also, it gives me time to do something that maybe I’ve been putting off. Sometimes, when I’m feeling really ambitious, I’ll put on a YouTube video of a beginner’s 20- minute yoga routine. I’ve discovered that it really gets my blood pumping while helping me calm down and relax all at the same time. Finally, as mentioned above, I feel less rushed when I get up a few minutes earlier, which sets the tone for a peaceful, positive and productive day.
So, go for it! Set that alarm! Get up early! And, start your day WINNING! I cannot wait to talk to you tomorrow.
