A

Avoid Negative People, Places, And Things.

Negative people rob us of our energy. It takes a lot of energy to live life.

Have you ever felt drained after being with someone who complains about anything and everything? That person is zapping your energy! Avoid those people if possible.

If they're family members and you can't or don't want to avoid them, just listen to them — but don't get caught up in their negative drama. Have shorter visits with them. Give yourself permission to spend less time with them. Think of another A word: advocate. Be your own advocate and protect yourself from these energy vampires.

Stay away from negative places that are dangerous or bring up bad memories. Like negative people, negative places can drain our energy and block us from tapping into our creative source.

Avoid negative habits such as excessive drinking or smoking, overeating, or overspending. Get rid of them in any way you can. These habits block your creativity. There are all kinds of resources to help us rid ourselves of negative habits.

Last but not least, avoid negative thinking. Stop criticizing yourself. It's self-defeating. It's okay to tell yourself that you're great because you are great. Your Creator creates only greatness, of which you're a part.

Avoid criticizing and judging other people. Everyone has a story and a path to follow. We're not here to tell other people how to live their lives or to tell them which paths to follow. We're here to create our own stories by following the paths that lead us to becoming the best we can be. Live your life in greatness.

Deliberately decide to avoid these negative sources — and you'll be on your way to success.

Avoid negative people, places, and things.

Deliberate Decisions Exercises

• Think of people in your life who rob you of your energy — people who are complainers, who always see the glass as half empty, or who are just plain negative. Make a list of these people and review it.

• Think of places that bring up negative feelings or feel dangerous to you physically or mentally. Make a list of these places and review it.

• If you have habits that you think are negative and blocking your creativity, write them down and review your list.

• List some of the ways you criticize yourself. At the end of the list, write down some things about yourself that are great.

B

Believe In Yourself.

Sometimes we don't feel very motivated. We feel like we're out of fuel. We start having self-defeating thoughts. Seeing ourselves as failures is easier than visualizing success. We define ourselves by our self-defeating thoughts or images of ourselves. "I'm not good enough." "I'm just not smart enough." "I'm too fat." "I'm too short."

We may blame others for our misgivings or for not reaching our goals. We may blame instead of believing. Blame is giving your power away. Believing in yourself increases your power.

We already know how to achieve our goals. We may not know the details, but we have the overall big picture. Believe in yourself — and the details will fill in. You possess the power to accomplish anything you want. Define yourself by your inner qualities. What you believe about yourself and your life becomes true for you. Believe in yourself. We're part of an amazing tapestry called life. This tapestry is woven with many different designs and colors. Each design is unique and brilliant.

This tapestry would be less rich and less beautiful without you as a part of it. Just knowing that we're part of something so much greater than ourselves gives us the power to create and accomplish anything we set out to do. This power is the fuel that motivates us to reach our goals. Believing we're so much more is the key to the vault that holds our dreams and is the secret to our success.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. We also all have the power to overcome our weaknesses and capitalize on our strengths. Dwelling on negative self-image keeps us from reaching our goals and manifesting our dreams. What we think of ourselves will shape our destinies. Our self-images determine our choices, shape our belief systems, and take over our lives. Self-image becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Believe in yourself and your unique design. Color in this tapestry of life. Let the details fall into place. Never stop believing in yourself. You're the one and only you. You're great — the greatest! You're a perfect piece of art and an important piece of the tapestry.

If you believe that, all things are possible. If you believe in God, a higher power, or something greater than yourself, then ask, "Would my Creator create anything less than perfect?" The answer is no.

We all know about bumper cars. The object of the ride is to bump into as many cars as you can to get them out of your way. Sometimes we drive our vehicles like that. We bump into obstacles that keep us from reaching our goals. We're in the driver's seat of the vehicles we use to get around in life.

If we believe in ourselves, we'll be able to navigate around those obstacles that appear before us on the road to our goals. When we see ourselves as accomplishing anything we wish, the power in the universe supports us, guides us, and propels us toward reaching our goals and dreams.

There is an eternal creative force within us that is waiting to be tapped and channeled into wonderful, joyful creativity. Creative energy can be seen in science, art, literature, and relationships in a positive way. We'll reach our goals and dreams, and we will begin making a difference in the world.

Deliberately decide to believe in yourself. You're truly wonderful. Be full of wonder — and you'll fulfill your dreams!

Believe in yourself.

Deliberate Decisions Exercises

• Since a belief is nothing more than a feeling of absolute certainty about what something means, your beliefs can help you reach your goals. They can also hinder you. They can be unconscious or conscious, and they often stem from things you've heard, seen, or felt a lot of emotion about. You may have repeated them to yourself until you felt certain they were true.

• Write down all the old beliefs that have kept you from following through on your goals in the past.

• Make a list of new beliefs that will empower you from this day forward.

C

Consider Your Goals And Dreams From All Angles.

Goals or dreams may change from time to time. Sometimes they change while we're on the path to realizing them, or they may change at the moment we realize them. However, each time we set a new goal, we should consider things from every angle. We must consider things from the heart as well as intellectually.

We may ask, "Does this goal or dream express all aspects of who I am? Does it embody all that I am spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and physically?" If the goal or dream doesn't, you may fail in achieving your goal or manifesting your dream. You could end up following a dream or reaching for a goal that doesn't support your highest good.

Our lives consist of four aspects: spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. The spiritual level provides a foundation for the development of other levels. Make sure your goals are in alignment with your universal life source — your oneness with life — and they'll support your highest good.

Your mind holds all of your beliefs and values. Ask yourself, "Am I conscious of my thought patterns? Do I have a clear understanding of my belief system? Do my beliefs, values, and philosophies support my highest good?" If you become aware of any beliefs, values, or philosophies that fall short, you may want to do some work on this level before considering the next one.

Since the ability to relate to others and the world on a feeling level comes from an emotional level, we want to be aware of what and how we feel at any given time. Am I fulfilled in my relationship with myself and others? If you're not aware or fulfilled, you may need to do some emotional healing work before continuing on your journey to realize your goal or dream.

The final aspect to consider is our physical bodies. This includes the ability to survive and thrive in this world. "Have I developed the skills to live comfortably and effectively in the world?" "Am I in tune with my body?" "Do I listen to what my body is telling me?" Our bodies know what they need. If we listen, they communicate clearly and specifically. "Am I understanding and interpreting my body's signals correctly?"

If we're aligned spiritually, have a clear understanding of our values and beliefs, have a good relationship with ourselves and others, and understand our physical needs, we're ready for the journey to success!

Consider your goals and dreams from all angles.

Deliberate Decisions Exercises

• List some of the goals you want to reach.

• Review the list. Do they support you spiritually? Do they support your highest good? Are they in alignment with your chosen spiritual path?

• Review your goals list again. Do they support you mentally? Do they support your beliefs and values?

• Review your goals list one more time. Do they support you emotionally? Do your goals assist you or block you from being aware of what you feel at any given time? Do they support you or keep you from being fulfilled in your relationships with yourself and others?

• Review your goals list a final time. Do your goals support you physically? Since your ability to survive and thrive in the world depends on the skills you acquire, do your goals assist and support you with developing these skills? Are your goals in alignment with your physical health or financial security?

• Revisit any goals that don't support all four of these areas: spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical.

D

Don't Give Up. Dare To Succeed.

We all want to reach our goals and manifest our dreams. However, some people reach them, and some don't. Why is that? Why aren't we all what we want to be? Well, we all have a list of excuses and use them as reasons for why we are not successful or living our dream. The A section of this book talks about how negative self-talk is self-defeating. Negative self-talk translates into why we are not living up to our full potential. Go through your list of self-defeating excuses for why you fall short of your goals.

"I don't have the education," "I'm bald," or "I am too old" may sound familiar. These are excuses — not reasons. We fear setting goals. What if we don't make it? What if we fail? We will be embarrassed! Fear is what stops us all!

We can have anything we want if we tell ourselves what we want and direct our conscious minds to reach for it. Once we do that, the subconscious mind will take over and figure out the details.

There was a man who was born in 1809 in a log cabin in Kentucky. His parents were born in Virginia of undistinguished families. When he was seven years old, his family moved to Indiana. His younger brother and mother died shortly thereafter. Several years later, his older sister died in childbirth. He moved to Illinois in 1830 and worked several jobs, including surveyor, postmaster, and shopkeeper. He made an unsuccessful run for the Illinois legislature in 1832.

The store went out of business, and he purchased another store with a partner. This venture ultimately failed, leaving him badly in debt. Two years later, his former partner died, increasing his debt. That very same year, the lady he loved died from fever.

He married in 1842, and the union produced four children. Only one reached adulthood. The man had many political setbacks before he was ultimately elected as the sixteenth US president. His name was Abraham Lincoln.

After Lincoln's election, many Southern states, fearing Republican abolition of slavery, seceded from the Union. Lincoln faced the greatest internal crisis of any US president. After the fall of Fort Sumter, Lincoln raised an army and fought to save the Union from falling apart.

Initially, Lincoln anticipated a short conflict. He called for 75,000 volunteers to serve for three months. Despite enormous pressures, loss of life, battlefield setbacks, poor generals, and assassination threats, Lincoln stuck with this pro-Union policy for four long years of civil war. On January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation declared freedom for all slaves in the Confederacy. Lincoln never gave up!

Abraham Lincoln is remembered for his vital role in preserving the Union during the Civil War and ending slavery in the United States. He is also remembered for his character. He was a man of humble origins whose determination and perseverance led him to the nation's highest office.

Don't give up — no matter what. Dare to succeed!

Don't give up. Dare to succeed.

Deliberate Decisions Exercises

• What have you given up on in the past? Why do you think you gave up?

• What fears are in the way of you reaching your goal(s)?

• Finally, write down some things that you have accomplished, achieved, or done successfully in your life. Congratulate yourself for what you have achieved and use your successes to inspire you toward your goals.

E

Enthusiasm Matters.

Enthusiasm means "one with the energy of God." It derives from root words relating to being inspired and possessed by the Divine. There is something awesome about people practicing this spiritual quality. They are vibrantly alive.

In Spiritual Literacy, Mary Ann Brussat includes a story written by Margret M. Stevens about three brick masons who are busy at work. When the first is asked what he is building, he answers without looking up, "I'm laying bricks." The second replies, "I'm building a wall." But the third responds with great enthusiasm, "I am building a cathedral." Enthusiasm lights up your life and the lives of those around you.

In an essay, newspaper columnist Linda Weltner wrote, "Modern life can grow dull and predictable ... still there's one magic talisman left that has the power to bring freshness, novelty, and surprise into your life. Someone else's enthusiasm."

Look at the meaning of the word through the words of scientist Louis Pasteur: "The Greeks have given us one of the most beautiful words of our language, the word enthusiasm — a God within. The grandeur of the acts of men is measured by the inspiration from which they spring. Happy is he who bears a God within."

Each and every one of us is exactly where we are in life, according to the consciousness we hold. If you don't like where you are in your life — or your goals seem unattainable — you must find your consciousness. Consciousness is the root of enthusiasm. Become enthusiastic about life, and you will enjoy all of life's riches. Enthusiasm propels us forward on our path toward our goals.

There are other E words we can incorporate into our way of living. Excitement is one. Be excited about life itself. Be excited about your goals. Excitement leads to enthusiasm. Taking the journey enthusiastically shortens the road to your goals.

Another E word is entitlement.

Do you believe you are entitled to your dreams, your goals, or abundant living? Do you believe the Divine Presence, or God, as you understand God to be, is all around you as a fish lives in water? If so, can the fish of the sea ever lack for water? Can we be in the sea of Divine Presence or the energy of God and ever lack a sufficient amount of creativity, ideas, money, or opportunities in times of need? The answer is no. You must believe you are entitled to your goals and dreams, get excited about them, and take your journey with enthusiasm. If you do, your success is guaranteed!

Enthusiasm matters.

Deliberate Decisions Exercises

• How enthusiastic are you about your life? List some things about your life that you are enthusiastic about.

• List some things that you are not enthusiastic about.

• How can you change the things about your life that you are not enthusiastic about? Write them down.

• There is another E word you might want to consider. Take a look at your spiritual economics. List your views on affluence. Prosperity in the broadest sense can mean "spiritual well-being" or "healthy spiritual economics." Upon reviewing your list, do you have the consciousness to attract the things you want in your life? If not, what changes could you make in your thinking to increase your spiritual well-being?