It's all very well for me to guide you (and challenge you!) but all
the guidance in the world will be of no use whatsoever until you have
answered two very important questions:

1. What do I really want?
2. Do I really want to change?

Now I'm sure that you looked at question one and thought, "What do I
really want? That's easy! I want a big house, lots of money in the
bank, the holiday of a lifetime, a cruise, a wardrobe full of designer
labels, more shoes than Imelda Marcos ….."

Now there's absolutely nothing wrong with that answer by the way,
because we often think of material things when asked what we want!
BUT you may find that when you tap into your subconscious, the list is
not what you expect.

So, are you ready for the first challenge? Fantastic!

Grab a sheet of paper and a pen(cil) and free-write your answer to the
first question – jot down the words and phrases that come to you.
Don't give them any thought, don't think about them, don't
rationalize them in any way (we'll do that when you've finished!)
Give your subconscious 5-10 minutes for this exercise. I'll be
waiting here for you when you come back.

So, how did it go? I'm sure you scanned your list when the time was
up – are you surprised at what's on it?

What happens (usually) is that we start with tangible items like the big
house, holiday of a lifetime etc and they act as triggers for the
intangible things like wanting to be happy, or having romance (or more
romance) in our lives.

And there's a very good reason for this … the question you asked
yourself was: What do I REALLY want? And the answers don't come from
the head, they come from a much deeper level.

This is the next step: Grab yourself a highlighter and highlight all
the intangible items on your list. These are things that you truly
want!

Believe it or not, once you have all those intangible items, the
tangible ones become much easier to obtain.

Ready for step 3? Right! There are two ways of approaching this
exercise, but in both instances you'll need another sheet of paper.
Divide it into two columns and transfer your list of intangibles to the
first column, but leave a couple of lines between each item. In the
second column, jot down what stops you from having it – by leaving a
couple of lines between each item, you are able to put down three
reasons for each...

The second approach is almost the same except that you write down your
intangible item #1, then give yourself two or three minutes of
free-writing time to get your thoughts down.

When you've done that, write down your intangible item #2 and give
yourself another two or three minutes of free-writing time.
Do this until all your intangibles have been covered.

Is one method better than the other? Well, personally, if I had to
choose between the two, I'd take the second option – because the
subconscious is being accessed. Yes, it takes more time but isn't it
worth it to get the most accurate response possible?

However, I have to admit that I would do BOTH methods simply because I
am a very curious person – I'd be really interested in knowing how
much difference there is between what I think is the 'problem' and
what actually is!

Ok, that's enough from me … time for you to do step three! If it
feels right to you to take just one approach, do just one approach. If
it feels right for you to do both approaches, then do both.
As usual, I will be waiting here for when you've finished.

What you now hold in your hot little hands, is a blueprint for having
the empowered life that YOU want.

So now you are ready to answer question two: Do I really want to
change? Because if you want to get what you really want, you will have
to change. That's not a threat, by the sway, Nor is it a promise.
It's a fact. A simple truth, if you will

If you have any qualms, or feeling a little nervous, a free-writing
exercise will help you sort things out!
And once you've done that you'll know exactly what it is you have to
do next on your personal journey of empowerment.

This is not a time to think, "Strewth, I want to change but I don't
know if I can".

This is the time to think, "Wow, what a great adventure I'm about to
embark upon"!

And it really is a great adventure. As you change, so will your life
… for the better. Remember, to be empowered is to be free.

Isn't it time you took a chance on yourself and became liberated?

About the author: Barbara Rose is a mentor, coach, teacher and
alternative therapist who specializes in helping people reach their
potential at all levels (spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical).
She has used her experiences as the foundations of many books and
articles. Please visit www.barbaras-library.com for a complete list of
Barbara's articles and books. To find out more about Barbara's
services, please go to www.barbara-rose.name.

Barbara Rose