Today I receive this message from the Universe:

Michael, it’s high time that you step forward to claim and demand whatever it is that you want from life.

Just remember though, the gate keeper who will give it to you is the same gate keeper who has kept it from you… your gorgeous self. 

Let me in, too - 
    The Universe

It is hard to realize that we control our lives. That we are accountable for creating the life we have always wanted. It is also hard to realize that we are also the same person who keeps us from what we desire. 

Here are 30 ways to stay in control of your life:

1. Remember your Vision – Without a plan, how do you know where you are going? Creating a vision is one thing but remembering it to keep you motivated and driven is another. Make sure you create a visual reminder so you see it everyday so you know where you are headed. 
2. Dream BIG – Dreaming allows us to think about all that is possible. It helps us to learn what we want and how it will make us feel. These dreams lead to developing our vision so we can move them into reality. 
3. Have a Support Team – You do not have to do it alone. Bring in your friends and family that you love and trust. They are your best cheerleaders and will be glad to support you through your journey. 
4. Learn to say No – When we are 2 we learn the dreaded word “no” and we use it all the time. We also are taught at that age that it is a bad word and we shouldn’t use it all the time. Yes, we shouldn’t walk around saying no to everything but we should say no to the things in life we do not want to do, feel obligated to do, or pressured to do. 
5. Follow your Passion – What really gets you motivated about life? When you find this, follow it to where it leads. Your passion is where your heart and strengths lie and allow you to be the best that you can be. 
6. Let Go of FEAR – Fear stands for False Evidence Appearing Real. When you realize this, you can move yourself step by step to letting the fear go. We have control over our fear and we can conquer it in time. We can’t let our fear get in the way of our dreams. 
7. Trust your Intuition - There are many times where if you had trusted your instincts, things would have gone better. You ultimately know what is best for you. When you start listening to your instincts you will notice life starts to fall into place. You see, know and hear more than you think. 
8. Don’t Listen to Self Doubt – With intuition, you also have another voice in your head – self doubt. It loves to come in and stop us from moving into action. Recognize it is there and then confront it. Think about what is the worst that could happen, then think about what is the best that could happen, isn’t the benefits worth the risk?
9. Know your Insecurities – When you self reflect on what makes us insecure we can work to grow and develop in these areas. We have control of our lives so we can create confidence in these areas with a plan of action. 
10. Believe in Yourself – Another way to reduce insecurities and self doubt is learn to believe in yourself. When you truly believe in yourself, you allow yourself to trust and support your dreams, goals and passion. You realize that you wouldn’t drive yourself in the wrong direction and you know what is right. 
11. Become Selfish – When all know it is bad to be selfish because the world doesn’t revolve around us, but doesn’t it? You have control of your life and your life only. You know what is best for you and you know what you want in life. It is OK to put yourself first because it is all you have, YOU! When you take care of yourself it allows you to be able to take care of others. 
12. Have Fun – Life is not meant to be boring. If you are not having fun, then think about what is going on. Could you not be following your goals, dreams, or passion. Yes it takes work but when you are in control of your life even the work is fun because it is for you. 
13. Stop Judging Others – When you judge other people, you are giving them the right to judge you. Do you want everyone to be judging you or would you prefer for them to accept you as you are? Shouldn’t you start by accepting them as who they are? 
14. Live for the Present – A lot of time we live life for others now, because of the pay off we will get in the future.  We are not guaranteed a future. Yes, you need to plan for your future with your vision but you also need to live your life today. Take time each day to do something for yourself, you deserve it. 
15. Make Yourself Proud – A lot of times we do things because it impresses others such as our friends or family. Maybe it is our boss or co workers. What if you let it all go and only did things to make yourself proud? Wouldn’t it give it greater meaning? It would be for you. 
16. Learn to Love – To truly love others, you have to love yourself first. Take the time to love yourself. Love yourself for who you are and who you are going to be. When you have this love, you are complete and all other love is icing on the cake. 
17. Be a Student of Life – Do not think you will ever be an expert at life and you will have it all wrapped up. Instead realize that life is all about learning along the way and be a good student who studies up. 
18. Keep Learning – There is always a new book, new seminar, new training or even a new degree you could get. There is never an end to learning. 
19. Don’t Panic – When life doesn’t go the way you expected it is not time to freak out. It is time to take a deep breathe and think about what you can do (maybe small) to take back control. This is not a time a panic but to reframe. 
20. Laugh at Yourself – Life doesn’t have to be serious all the time. Sometimes you are going to trip, fall or embarrass yourself. Don’t stress about it, just laugh. You need to have a sense of humor so you can keep moving forward. 
21. No Regrets – You are going to make choices and later regret them. It is not time to dwell on the past but realize the lesson in the experience. Don’t beat yourself up about it, learn from it. 
22. Be Honest – Life is so much easier to control when you are just honest with everyone and yourself. You can get tired of playing the game of lies.
23. Celebrate – When you work hard on something and achieve it, you need to celebrate. You don’t need others to throw you a party, throw it for yourself. This will build momentum in your life and keep you moving in the right direction. 
24. Know Your Values – What are your core values? Your values really allow you to know how to make decisions so you are living the life you want. It helps you as a compass in your life to keep you going north to your vision. 
25. Be Authentic – Know who you are and embrace it. Why fight yourself along the way? When you are true to yourself all the choices you will make will support who you are and you will be more committed to the goal. 
26. Stop Listening to Others – When you are authentic, you know that you know what is best for you. You do not need to live your life by other’s advice or expectations. Set your own and be yourself. 
27. Take a Time Out – When life seems to be out of control. STOP. Sometimes if you just take a few minutes, hours or even a day to just relax, you will be recharged and able to see everything so clearly. We all need to balance our lives. 
28. Simplify - Our lives can be way more complicated than they need to be. Take the time to see what is important to you and what is not. Make life simple, it can be if you let it. 
29. Learn to Respond – A lot of time we spend our lives reacting to what is happening to us. Instead learn the art of responding. Instead of jumping emotional to a reaction, we take the time to really think about it and prepare a thoughtful response. It changes how we see everything and how others will respond back. 
30. Enjoy the Journey – Things will not always go the way we want them to but that is OK. We can go to the extreme of trying to control everything when sometimes we have to realize it is all about the journey. Enjoy it, learn from it, and have during it. 

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe!

3 Comments »