Wow! Someone once called Michael Jordan "lucky!" To me, that is truly incomprehensible. However, he chose to address the comment with a classy statement of truth. He simply agreed and said, "Yes, and the more I train, the "luckier" I get!" He is known for crediting the number of shots missed and games lost as the keys to his success. He kept on going. He had the determination and the dedication needed for high performance in his sport. Michael Jordan is a great role model for all of us as we seek to continue to grow, change, and improve our lives whether our goal is high level performance enhancement or to take better care of our bodies. It doesn't matter if your goal is related to your health, your career, your finances, your relationships, or pursuing your passion. When it comes to "luck" - success leaves clues.Here's what I call the ABC's of what it takes to Change Your Luck and Change Your Life!
A - Affirm Your Intention
I like to use the word intention as opposed to just talking about goals. The reason for that is, for me anyway, the word intention helps me to tap into the energy behind the goal. For example, if someone comes to me for help to lose weight - that is the goal, but the intention is quite different. The intention is related to what the person most wants to experience as a result of making positive changes. The intention behind the goal to lose weight is very personal and varies, but generally includes such things as wanting to feel better in their own skin, to have more energy, to lessen the associated health risks that come with excess weight, to be able to be more active and to enjoy time spent with family, etc. Essentially, the "big picture" intention is that the person just wants to feel better and to feel more in control. An empowering intention is always stated in the present and captures the essence of what is most important. Coaching can definitely help you get clear about your deepest intentions.
B - Build the Habits You Need to Succeed
If you want to achieve anything in life, you will need to take action and take it consistently. One of the best ways to take consistent action is by establishing good routines and habits. Just like smoking is an unhealthy habit, exercise is a healthy habit. A habit is something that you have done over and over again so many times that it becomes familiar and somewhat automatic. A deeply ingrained habit is like a program that is the default setting in a computer. That's great if it's a good habit, but troublesome if it's a bad habit. The good news about habits is: If you can make it; you can break it! Habits can be changed. You can rid yourself of habits that no longer serve you and create new habits that will take you in the direction that you want to go! It's simple, but not always easy. That's where coaching and hypnotherapy can be especially powerful tools for change.
C - Cultivate Confidence
In order to succeed, you need to have confidence in your ability to achieve your goals. This means, you must possess the confidence that you have what it takes to do what you know you need to do and perhaps most importantly, to keep going when the going gets rough. You have to be resilient and have a sense that what it is you want to achieve is not only achievable, but also is available specifically to YOU! That is really important. The belief that you can't do what needs to be done or can't have what you want will lead you to abandon your goals in the beginning stages as soon as something goes wrong. That's when you have the propensity to look at challenges as evidence that "it wasn't meant to be" or "it wasn't meant for me." As Marisa Peer, a well-known hypnotherapist always says, "You make your beliefs, and then your beliefs make YOU!" Confidence is an indispensable ingredient in the success formula. Even if you don't possess that quality now, confidence can be cultivated!
As the month of March draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on the areas of my life that I have changed and need to change. Spring is a great time to renew and refresh your energy and your life. The idea to write about luck came to me for a variety of reasons, including the saying about "the luck of the Irish" and as you may notice from the photo, I am Irish ;) But the main reason I thought of it is that I have needed to implement the steps above so many times in my life. One of the most amazing examples was years ago when I wanted to increase my business. I really needed to shift my mindset and as "luck" would have it, I listened to a fellow hypnotherapist, Wendi Friesen, discussing the topic of luck and leading the group through a hypnosis session to improve our luck. It was pretty amazing. Shortly after the session, I had the idea to call the health and wellness reporter at one of the major news networks in Cleveland to ask if they would be interested in doing a story on hypnosis. Well, they were and they did! In fact, the story was over 6 minutes long! I was also featured on other TV shows, radio, and newspaper. How's that for "Lucky?"
Had I not affirmed my intention, built the habits needed to succeed, and cultivated confidence in who I am and what I do, none of that would have happened. I had a holistic approach that enhanced the energy/vibration that I radiated, shifted my mindset, and inspired the actions needed to meet my goal. If I can do it, so can you.
Yes, YOU CAN and I can help.
Blessings!
Mary Ellen
