"Mastering the 7 Decisions" from the Travlers Gift by Andy Andrews > Decisions 3-7

THE JOYFUL DECISION – Today I will choose to be happy

Developing your Happy Triggers

List five things you can do each day to make yourself laugh and smile. What can you think about? Is there a scene from a movie that always makes you laugh? Did your child do something so innocent and precious that it brought a smile to your face? Does your dog chase his tail?
The point is there are ‘happy triggers’ all around us, but if we don’t actively seek them out, we may only accidentally trigger them on rare occasions. By consciously identifying happy triggers, you can choose to be happy whenever you wish.

Cultivating a Grateful Spirit

You can be grateful about anything; about being alive, the ability to breathe, the trees, the air, the sun, the stars, the beach, indoor plumbing, abundant food, the country in which you were born, your family, friends, pets, movies, music, love, romance, books, clouds, mountains, flowers, a child’s laugh, the Internet, paintings, heating and air conditioning, etc…You get the idea?

Make a list of fifty things for which you are grateful.

Capturing your Moments to Remember

As technology advances, we seem to have more demands on our time. In an effort to keep up, we often forget to remember joyous, fun, even miraculous moments that unfold before our very eyes.

What are some of the incredible moments to remember you’ve had during the past week, month or year? It could be a big event or a simple moment.

Capture ten of these moments right now to help cultivate a grateful spirit. (What if you did this each day or week?)

The Smile Exercise

Smiles are contagious. Smiles affect your biochemistry. SMILE for the next sixty seconds as you remember your favorite leisure activity. Why do you enjoy it? What benefits do you gain by pursuing this passion? Feel your smile through your entire body, including your breathing.

How do you feel? Care to smile for more than sixty seconds? Go for it!

THE COMPASSIONATE DECISION – I will great this day with a forgiving spirit

The Resentment Discharge

Have you been harboring resentment toward anyone? Go back to when you were a kid and review your resentments: who are the people who’ve imprisoned you through your resentment toward them?

Now, close your eyes and let go of your resentment for each person. Forgive them. Remember, your resentments only hurt yourself. Forgiving those toward whom you hold anger, resentment, or hatred liberates your spirit; life becomes infinitely more peaceful. To successfully complete these exercises, don’t make any exceptions-forgive each person unconditionally (especially that one person you don’t want to forgive).

Commit from this day forward to embrace the Compassion Decision of forgiveness unconditionally. We generally avoid unconditional forgiveness because of the secret payoff our egos get from harboring emotions like anger and resentment. Surrender the payoff of those ‘lesser’ emotions, and embrace a new life filled with infinite freedom and joy!

Healing a Wounded Heart

With a pen and journal in hand, answer the questions listed below and jot down any names that come to mind during this exercise. When you’ve finished, review each name. Ask yourself “Is this a person I need to forgive or is this a person from whom I need to ask forgiveness?”

Notice the quality of those questions. Too many people ask nonconstructive questions like “What’s wrong? Why is this happening to me?” Remember, the quality of your answers is determined by the quality of your questions.

1.       What one decision would I make if I could not fail?

2.       What one thing should I eliminate from my life because it holds me back from reaching my potential?

3.       Am I on the path to something absolutely fantastic or something average?

4.       Am I running from something?

5.       How can I use my time better?

6.       What impossible thing am I believing and planning for?

7.       What is my most prevailing thought?

8.       What good thing have I committed myself to do that I’ve quit doing?

9.       Of the people that I respect the most, what is it about them that earns my respect?

10.   What would a truly creative person do in my situation?

11.   What outside influences are causing me to be better? Worse?

12.   What gifts, talents, or strengths do I have?

13.   What is one thing I can do for someone else who no opportunity to repay me?

14.   Whom do I need to forgive?

Forgive Yourself

We tend to be our own worst critic, and judgment is a double-edged sword. In order to liberate yourself to begin to forgive others, you must first forgive yourself.

List the things that you need to forgive yourself right now.

The Appreciation Letter

The purpose of this letter is to appreciate and free yourself from whatever you’ve been harboring against yourself. Commit to releasing something that you don’t need to hold onto any longer.

Dear Me,

I’ve missed you. It has been too long. I just wanted to ask your forgiveness about something. You may not remember, but …..Years ago…….

In closing, I want to acknowledge that you are one of the most special people in the world. These are the things that I appreciate about you…………..

Thank you for the magical moments that you create for so many. The ripples that you create by the way you live reach many more than you could ever k now.

Love,

Me

THE PERSISTENT DECISION – I will persist without exception

Becoming a Force of Persistence

You’ve done an excellent job so far defining what you want your life to be like and identifying obstacles you had unknowingly allowed in your path. We all know how new obstacles and challenges tend to show up. For this reason, we must arm ourselves with the tools and understanding to overcome obstacles so they don’t become excuses for quitting.

Right now, define a powerful set of beliefs for yourself that you can call upon in your moments of need. Identify three core internal obstacles that often stand in your way.

Next, in the form of affirmations, write down the attributes you are committed to that are aligned with your persistent spirit. For example, next to the procrastination obstacle you may write “I am committed to achieving my objectives” or “I will see this through. I am guided toward my vision.” For the fear obstacle you may say, “I am bound by nothing. With persistence, I can achieve anything.” Or “With faith and courage, I persist until I succeed”.

Write them down in y our journal and on a note card that you can carry around with you. Remind yourself of your new affirmations every time you find your old obstacle presenting itself.

Breaking through Fear

What are some of the fears that keep you from achieving what you want, from participating in your passions? Write down the top three fears you have about life. These fears can affect your relationships, finances, career, family, or state of mind spiritually, emotionally, physically, etc.

Underneath each fear, write down two or three ways it manifests in the various areas of your life.

What would happen if you didn’t’ act out these fears? What would you do instead? Write down one thing you would do to replace each fear with a different emotion the next time it showed up.

Are most of your fears real or imagined? The degree of risk and uncertainty you are able to handle in your life will determine the level of fulfillment and reward you experience. Would anything be worthwhile if it wasn’t tough, if it didn’t carry risks, if it wasn’t uncomfortable?

Reviewing each of your fears, what are two actions you can take in each area that would immediately diminish the fear holding you back?

What will it cost you if you don’t take these actions?

Creating your Private Chamber for Results

To employ the Persistent Decision, it is helpful to find ways to move toward your goals more effectively. For example, you may have a specific project you’re trying to plan, like a long overdue vacation. Even though you think about doing this often, something always comes up. The phone rings, the email dings, your cell phone vibrates, your child screams, dinner is ready, you need to sleep.

Life is demanding and it’s easy to get swept away in a never ending sea of tasks and ongoing actions. Sometimes it’s necessary to close your doors, shut off the computer and turn off your cell phone so you can work on a goal that’s important to you.

Select a goal you’ve identified in an earlier exercise and schedule time to work on it. The time should be viewed as sacred and nonnegotiable-just like an appointment or business meeting.

Strategic Planning: Moving Toward your Goals

Building momentum toward our goals helps us more effectively live the Persistent Decision. A solid strategy for results planning can expedite the realization of your goals:

1.       What is a goal you really want to make happen? Choose something you have wanted for a while, though it has been out of reach. Really consider what you want and why you want it.

2.       With your goal in mind, brainstorm ways to move toward it. Write down any actions –big or small- to help you achieve your goal.

Now, take at least one action in the next twelve hours to bring you closer to living your dreams! Schedule time each day or each week to move closer to achieving your goals.