Start Afresh: See Your Life As Newly Made From Now On!

By Author: sarah denholm
Total Articles: 4
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If you could start again and create something new and fresh, how would that feel?
I've recently been making changes in my own life that have got me thinking about how necessary it is to let go of old self-programming in order to move on, and how reluctant we can be to actually do that. When I succeed in viewing my life as freshly made from this moment on, it's incredibly liberating and exciting; just imagine for a minute that the slate has been wiped clean and whatever restrictions you believed that you had to live with have disappeared....you have the chance to reinvent yourself, to behave in new and more dynamic ways, to see yourself and others differently. What new choices and possibilities open up for you as you think about this? Now obviously we are the products of our upbringing and experiences in life so far, and I'm not trying to suggest that those experiences can be removed from our consciousness - but we can make gradual changes based on the new ways that we choose to see ourselves. As Louise Hay says, the point of power is always in the present moment. Isn't that a great thought? I enjoy taking a deep ...
... breath as I read those words, and really feeling in my body the sense of freedom that the concept evokes. No matter what our health, relationships, career etc have been like in the past, we have in this moment the power to think, feel and react differently. It is never too late, no matter how big a rut we may feel we've sunk into! Changing our thoughts will change our feelings, and that in turn will change our behaviour. Soon we'll be acting in new ways that resonate with who we wish to be in our lives. Remember that negative self talk can and probably will have built up over years, and it will take time to challenge and alter those beliefs. It's not enough to simply replace the negative thought with a positive one (though that will help); you need to examine where the thought came from and challenge it. You can do this by asking yourself these questions: From where did this thought originate? [Perhaps a specific incident in your past initiated it, or it was fed to you by a family member or friend. It is a label, not who you are.] What are the costs to me of continuing to believe this thought? What are the hidden ‘payoffs' of continuing to believe this thought? How will I benefit from releasing this thought from my consciousness? [Make the reasons compelling enough, and you'll shift!] You have a choice then, the next time the thought comes up; whether or not to entertain it: by bringing the negativity out into the open and examining the underlying causes of it, you free yourself to see things differently. Remember, you may have believed it in the past, but you're now able to move on. You can be encouraging to yourself instead. Another great way to release yourself from past beliefs is to try this ‘new start' exercise: if you could reinvent yourself from scratch, who would you become? What character would you be playing in life? Imagine that you're writing a story or directing a play, in which you're the main character: describe and define this person. What would they be like, their personality? What would they do? Who would they mix with, and what experiences would they choose to have? Fill in as many details as you can, and have fun with it! This is a good exercise to do, as it allows you the freedom to express yourself and see yourself differently without the past holding you back. The last one that I'll suggest today is an exercise that I've mentioned before, where you write yourself a letter from the future, imagining that what you wish for has come true. Write to yourself describing the developments that have taken place (a good time-frame is anywhere from six months to two years ahead). Doing this allows you to be hopeful about your future, and encouraging to yourself, and putting your words down on paper is always a great step forwards towards the life you want to be leading. About the Author Sarah is a business and life-design coach, working with individuals, entrepreneurs and independent professionals to support them to create more business and profitability, while designing a balanced, fulfilling and fun life.