How Do You Create a Life You Love?

So how do you create a life you love?

The truth is, the answer is different for everyone. There is no one size fits all, as we all have different versions of our ideal life. Having said this, there are a number of things you can do to help you create your version of a life you love.

1. Know what a life you love looks like
It’s hard to create something if you don’t know what you're trying to create. Stephen Covey says to ‘start with the end in mind’. Start by knowing what is it you want to create. This makes it much easier to put plans in place.

This is great in theory, but what if the ‘end’ is a little fuzzy, a little out of focus? 

To help gain clarity, I like methods that help you focus on what you want to move towards, rather than what you want to move away from. A couple of suggestions include:

• Create a vision board - A vision board is a visual representation of what you want to be, do or have in your life. The very process of creation can help us gain clarity. The logic behind creating a vision board is that what we focus on expands. So, as you create your board, focus not only on the material stuff, but also on how you want to feel.
• Write a letter from the future - For those who prefer words, writing a letter from the future can help you clarify your goals and dreams. To start, choose a date in the future (months or years) that is meaningful to you. It could be a birthday or an anniversary. Imagine that by this date you are loving your life. Write a letter from your future self telling you about what is happening in your life, how you are feeling and what you have achieved over the last months or years.

2. Understand your version of success
As we know (but sometimes forget), success is so much broader than career and financial success. Think about what success looks like for you. Is your version of success having time to do the things you enjoy, is it about knowing you’ve contributed to something bigger than you, is it about varied life experiences, being the kind of parent you want to be, or maybe it’s simply about feeling content.

Our individual version of success will usually be tied to living a life that is aligned to our values.

3. Alignment with values
Our values are the elements of our lives that are personally most important to us. They are our core beliefs and they guide us on how to live our lives in a meaningful way. A few examples include family, courage, kindness, community, adventure, respect, independence, stability, etc. There are so many more! The thing is, many of us don’t give a lot of thought to what our top personal values are. As a result, we don’t consciously choose actions that are in alignment. By giving your core values some thought, you can more consciously and consistently live in a way that is aligned with your values. This is one step towards living a life you love.

4. Recognise your strengths and interests
When we are working with our strengths and interests, we are more likely to feel in flow. We are more likely to move towards what lights us up (our interests), rather than away from what we don’t want. We can then create a life we love by drawing on our strengths to help us get there and to stay there.

5. Be gutsy
This means different things to different people. For me, one component of being gutsy is about questioning the rules you and others apply to your life. Think about whether or not they’re still relevant. If they served you in the past but are no longer useful or helpful, then break the rules!

Have the courage to question your beliefs, thoughts and ideas and modify them as required. This will lead to new actions, opportunities and help you to create a life you love. Remember that this process will involve some level of change (this could be big or small) and change often takes you out of your comfort zone. Being gutsy is also being ok with discomfort and even fear.

6. Get support
You may be able to create a life you love on your own, or you may benefit from support. This may be from friends and family, or you may choose to work with a life and wellness coach. Some of the benefits a coach can provide for you are to:

• Help clarify what your ideal life looks like
• Provide both support and accountability
• Hold a space for you while you work it all out
• Increase your self-awareness
• Show you an alternative view or perspective and provide you with feedback

All of this can help you make choices from a place of greater self-awareness and understanding, essential to creating a life you love.

If you would like more information about how I could help you to create a life you love, please call me (Laurenne Di Salvo) on 0413 776 564.

Here’s to an amazing future!

Warmest wishes,

Laurenne Di Salvo

​Executive, Leadership & Professional Development Coach, Facilitator and Consultant

#lifeyoulove #coaching #strengths #success 

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