Making It Real

The New Year’s here, the celebrations are done, the hangover is hopefully a distant memory and now it’s time to make your dreams a reality. If you want to surf through 2006 on a wave of enthusiasm and energy your best asset will be a real commitment to taking the actions that support your vision of just how fabulous your life could be. Fabulousness is fun, but it’s not fluffy and it requires some get up and go.

We’re all going to make very different choices to create that year of living passionately, choices that reflect who we truly are. A fabulous life won’t drop in your lap if the actions you take are heading in the opposite direction. We’ve all vowed to start a diet whilst wolfing down the better part of a bar of Green & Black’s or paid a fortune for a health club membership that was barely used. So what’s going to make the difference this time? Get a plan that’s achievable, take even the smallest steps in the right direction and keep asking yourself the right questions to keep yourself on track.

I don’t know anyone who’s not an expert in the wrong questions. You know them, they’re the kind of questions that just go around in a circle and generally involve some kind of self-attack. We’re not even going to go there - we all know that territory too well. For a change, arm yourself with the right questions. They’re the kind that will lead you to a greater awareness of what’s truly going on in your life and show you how to move forward.

Helpfully, author Debbie Ford has written a book called exactly that: The Right Questions. One of the most powerful questions in it is “Will this choice bring me long-term fulfilment or will it bring me short-term gratification?”. Ask yourself if the choices you make are taking you in the direction you want to go or moving you further away from it. Every small choice is a building block to creating your vision. What really holds you back from fulfilling your dreams is not the big stuff – it’s being gradually undermined by the everyday actions that are not in integrity with who you want to be. You don’t need some mythical lucky break to make an enormous difference, just pay attention. Keep your eye on the ball and the game will take care of itself.

Just to be clear on those steps again: have a vision, get a plan, take action. Don’t forget to look at all the major areas in your life and set a time frame for the actions you’ll take. Nothing focuses the mind like a deadline. Ask a good, close friend to hold you accountable for the choices you’ve made in a loving and helpful way. Do not choose someone who’s going to nag you. You want a gentle reminder, not a guilt trip.

Now for the twist – be available for serendipity. Plans can only take you so far. Open your mind to the possibility that it could be easier, more fun and totally different than you imagined. Yes, it’s paradoxical, but life’s like that. If you don’t make room for a miracle, it can’t happen. Over-planning and rigidity can be as soul-destroying and unfulfilling as drifting along without purpose or passion. Find your balance of intention and inspiration.

The fabulousness of 2006 will be found in your own individual path to a joyful, authentic life. This is echoed in the words of Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly-Effective People, who says "How different our lives are when we really know what is deeply important to us, and, keeping that picture in mind, we manage ourselves each day to be and to know what really matters most".

Whatever your vision may be, however you see that working for you, here are a couple of ideas you might want to try to give you a boost along the way:

· If you’re planning a makeover, think about getting some professional help to turbo-charge the process. Head to a department store and let one of the make-up artists from a top brand give you a new look. Try out a personal shopper. Even better, get a stylist to give you the once-over and crack the fashion code for your body shape. Sarah Cosgrove, who styles the habitués of Hello! and fabulous fashion spreads, is now doing private style counsel. You can contact her for a consultation by emailing sarahthestylist@mac.com.

· Bust open the piggy bank and book a day spa or a health farm. Commit to keeping yourself in tip-top shape in the most fun way imaginable. There can be a weird double-standard about this: whenever I’ve mentioned to people that I’ve been to a health farm, they’d say how lucky I was. It’s not luck, it’s a choice. Put your money where your mouth is and make yourself a priority. Tara Herron, founder of www.yogicsolutions.com, has developed a range of treatments called Body Prayers that are extraordinarily powerful – the perfect balance of glamour and soul. You can find them at day spas around the country (see sidebar for details).

· If facials strike you as too frivolous – are you insane? – then make some positive healing choices and try a therapy you’ve never experienced before. For total bliss, re-energising and a huge uplift, there’s no-one better than Kate Tomas, a crystal healer who practices in the West Country and at the Hale Clinic in London. She’s the healer that healers go to, so take my word for it, you’re in for a complete treat. Book direct at the Hale or see Kate’s site for contact details www.katetomashealing.com.

· Finally, if the blocks to bringing your vision to reality feel just too high to hurdle right now, you might want to try hypnotherapy to help you break on through. Rosie Taylor, who’s based in West London (email: rosie@soulmedicine.co.uk), can help you lose those bad habits. Drop what’s not working and do what it takes to break the pattern and start living as your fabulous self.

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All material © 2006 Alison Porter. No article may be reproduced in full or in part without the express permission of the author. (Originally posted 2 Jan 06)