New Life System

Let’s establish patterns that kick start our personal transformation

Alexandra Clark

2/2/20256 min read

We are creators

We are the creators of our lives. This is sometimes difficult to believe because we have often not been taught that in life. Many of us have been taught we are at the mercy of social institutions and authority figures outside of ourselves. Believing that we create our reality is a stretch in how we think about ourselves and our lives.

Try this…

When we are presented with evidence to the contrary, however, we can begin to make a shift in our thinking. Let’s try this visualization. Close your eyes and take a deep breath. Step out of your comfort zone, out of your regular way of thinking. See yourself from the third person viewpoint, outside of yourself. See yourself as a person in this world, with a body that is magnificently designed to think, act, move, create… You are here as a sovereign human being, with family and friends, living your life. You think your own thoughts, make your own decisions, take the action you want to take, set your own goals, utilize your own intentions. You are in control.

Be intentional

Now perhaps until now you have been coasting along in your life, not aware that you are the creator of your life. Perhaps now – this year – is the time to become intentional about what you want to create. Perhaps now it is time to think deeply about how you want to transform your life.

So, the first step really is to decide what you want in your life.

What do you want?

When we want something, it is because we believe that having it will make our lives better. Sometimes we want to make a personal change in who we are, like having more patience; sometimes it is learning a new skill, like baking a cake from scratch; or sometimes it is the desire to change jobs. Whatever it is, we believe that this thing will improve our lives.

Thinking about what you want is one thing but reframing it slightly to a question of “who will I become when I have this thing” is a bit more powerful. We are more apt to be successful in attaining our goals when we weave the thing that we want into our identity – who we are or who we will become.

Making it personal

Think of the goals you want to achieve as a personal change in who you are.

Consider this…

If you are interested in starting a new diet where you eat healthy food and cut out sugar, you could have a goal of becoming a “healthy person who is energetic and fit”
If you are interested in becoming more patient and being more present with the people in your life, you could have a goal of becoming a “patient person who is known for being present with others”
If you are interested in studying a new skill perhaps in accounting, your goal can be to be “an accountant”

Do you see where I am going with this? Some other identities could be….

My goal is to be an entrepreneur
My goal is to be a national traveler
My goal is to be a homeowner
My goal is to be a wife or husband
My goal is to be a great friend
My goal it to be the resident expert on excel spreadsheets at work

Setting an intention or goal can be brought to a deeper level as we see how it pertains to us personally. When we set goals from a personal perspective, we are more inclined to follow through with them because they are linked to our identity.

Why set that goal?

Sometimes we don’t know why it is we want this thing. It is, however, important to figure that out. There are usually many reasons why we want something new in our lives. Some reasons seem obvious, but if we quiet our minds and meditate on it, we can find the deeper meanings. It is the reason WHY that propels us forward every day when we feel more like procrastinating.

Create a specific, measurable plan

First, you need to get specific with what you want to accomplish and who you want to become. This means taking your large goal and breaking it down into small chunks and then smaller monthly, weekly, daily goals. Specific goals are important because it is easier to act on your goals when you know exactly what it is you need to accomplish.

Give some thought also to the timeframe that you want to accomplish your goals and make them measurable – meaning, make sure you know when you have reached your goal. For example, if you want to lose weight, decide how many pounds you want to lose and by what date.

You will notice that as you start this process, you start to become excited. This is natural because even small progress gives us the feeling of accomplishment. Verbalizing our goals and breaking them down into manageable chunks is progress and it boosts our dopamine and gives us the advantage to move forward.

Getting started with a Morning Routine

What is a Morning Routine?

A morning routine is the list of activities that we do every single day after we wake up. We all have a morning routine. The question is, does it empower you and get you moving toward the success and fulfillment you want in your life?

Useful ideas

How do you go about setting up a morning routine that supports your intentions and goals? Well, first consider what you want to do. Below are some ideas that I think would be useful to you.

Get up when the alarm goes off

Tell your brain that you are serious, and that you are not a procrastinator

Breath work

Breathe in deeply from your belly (not your chest) for 33 times
This will give your body lovely oxygen and instant boost of energy

Meditation / moment of quiet

Take a moment to thank your body/cells for supporting you
Affirm that you are strong, confident, and looking forward to the day

Set intentions for the day

Set 1-3 intentions for the day, things that you really want to focus on

Drink water

Before coffee or tea, drink some water to support your cells and organs

Exercise

A bit of exercise in the morning really helps to get moving. It can be something simple like a 15-minute walk in the morning, a few squats or weights, or even a 10-minute jog in place. This with breathwork gets your body ready to act!

Keeping it real—how to stay on track

Once you have taken the time to acknowledge a goal you would like to go after and have done the work to get this far, it is important to follow the 3 easy steps below to make your progress as easy as possible.

Step 1: Make your goals visible

Research has been done that shows that if you make your intentions and goals visible, you will be more apt to actually reach them. Be creative with this. The key is that you want to see them often during your day.

Put your smaller goals on your calendar
Place stickies on your refrigerator/desk at work
Create a vision board and put it in a prominent place in your house
Use an electronic picture frame that flashes photos of what you want in your life
If you want to start working out, set your clothes out the night before
If you want to eat healthier, put the healthy foods in the front of the refrigerator where they are easy to grab and the foods you don’t want to eat in the back or in a drawer.

Step 2: Remove temptation

Removing temptation is actually easier than it seems. See some items below.

Don’t buy unhealthy food, and if you do, hide it in a top cabinet
If friends give you sugary snacks, and you want to reduce sugar, ask them to not bring a piece over for you
If you want to work out, ask a friend to join you – or make you accountable – so you are less tempted to watch TV instead

Step 3: Track your progress

Research indicates that when you track your progress on your goals, you are more likely to accomplish them. This can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be.

Create a spreadsheet and check off the items every day
Put a sticky note on your refrigerator for every day of the month and pull one off each day you stick to your goal
Give yourself a special reward token for each time you stick to your goal like adding a little crystal to a pretty bowl

End the day with an Evening Routine

After a day of moving toward your goals, it is important to acknowledge the progress that you have made with a couple simple final steps as you wind down for the evening

Take a few minutes and contemplate your day. What items were you able to act upon? How did you feel?
What items would you like to start on tomorrow?
Feel gratitude for being on this Earth at this time and know that you are in control of your destiny and that you have time – plenty of time – to take the steps toward what you want at your pace.

Final thoughts

If you didn’t accomplish as much as you had hoped on any particular day, don’t fret. Recenter yourself and give it a go again the next day. This is about moving forward at a pace that is good for you. At the end of the day, you are in control, and you get to decide the goals you want and when you want to do them.

Affirmations

Affirmations are a great way to encourage and support yourself along your journey of healthy and growth. Below are some you might want to try.

Take 3 deep, long, slow breaths from your tummy (not your chest) and say out loud: