"To Change One's Life: 1. Start Immediately 2. Do It Flamboyantly 3. No Exceptions". -William James

Have you ever been so busy getting through the day, that you don't dare to think about whether your life is what you dreamed of. Balance means a kid under one arm, and the shopping under the other, and try not to drop the eggs! If you had a dream, it must have been a nightmare. Where did the good times go to?

 Do you have a dream of your perfect life? Do you have a passion to change something in your world? A hobby you could take further? Talked about a different lifestyle? Spend some time developing these ideas further. Sit down and write a dream list. Think big. Don't think about the budget, or whether you can do it. Reality comes next.

Once you have your list, put it in order. What can wait for 30 years? What do you want to do in the next month? Once you have done the list, have a look through it. Does it look right, anything missing, anything you could take out? When I did this exercise I found 2 things. First, I had some items that I was planning to do “when I got rich”, and then realised that they did not need money, and could start straight away.                                   

 Second, I found I had listed one wish that I was not previously aware of. That wish was to have a get together with all my children, once a year if possible. Soon after that, several of my children decided to come back to New Zealand and go skiing. They asked if I wanted to go. I almost said no, as I cannot ski and then realized that if I went, and took my youngest son with me, I could have a get together with my children in the evenings, when they were not skiing. It was a very special time which I would have missed if I had not written my list.

Another advantage of writing a list is to identify activities that you are doing now, that do not come up on your list. You can reconsider these activities and decide whether you want to give them up, or change them in some way.

Wherever your life is right now, it can change. The desire to change can be prompted by a feeling of dissatisfaction, and seeing others who are having great success. Or it can be brought on by a life crisis, and you are forced to start again, or make massive change. Your life will not change for the better until you plan and set goals. If you do not have a plan for your life, you can find yourself reacting to one crisis, after another, and wondering where you are going.

How well do you know yourself? Do you know your strengths and weaknesses? Do you have a balanced life, with time off, a satisfying career, low stress, well managed finances, friends and good health? Look at the satisfaction levels in your life, and compare how your current life compares with your dream list.

Start to move toward your dreams. If you have written your dream list, you will find yourself naturally drawn to considering your day to day activities. Some changes may be very easy, and simple. Others will need planning, further information, and possibly training. Some changes could have a massive impact on your life, and need independent advice and support.

Further information and support can be found in books, online, through life coaches, counsellors, and training such as Tony Robbins and Chris Howard. Remember the saying “ It is the journey, not the destination” Creating your extraordinary life is a journey. Don't forget to have fun.

Please leave a comment about your life's dreams. I would love to hear about your changes and challenges. Who has helped you, what made the journey easier?

Have a wonderful day.