What is your biggest challenge right now?

When faced with challenges in life, wouldn’t it be great to be able to deal with them swiftly and elegantly? Wouldn’t it be great to be so centred in yourself that the action you take is right on target? Wouldn’t it be reassuring to know that when you step outside your comfort zone and into the void of the unknown, you’ll be able to deal with whatever comes up quickly and gracefully, because you are poised and balanced? And wouldn’t it be fabulous to build a sense of inner calm so strong that it gives you the power to face even bigger gulps in your life? 
 
That’s why the heart of the Gulp! philosophy is the importance of being able to calm the mind and build a strong inner core. True inner power comes from your mind and body being aligned and in sync with your soul. In the face of any challenge, this combination is formidable.  

Here are seven signposts to give you a boost and direction:

1 Dare yourself to step up to it and defy anything that holds you back
 Name the challenge and face it head on. This is an opportunity for you to learn and grow. This is your chance to create an important breakthrough in your life. This is your option to let go of those things that hold you back. This is your time to say ‘no’ to any more pain, frustration and suffering, and say ‘yes’ to a life where you feel vibrant and fully alive. This is the time to live your true life. You’ve reached a pivot point. Embrace this opportunity with both arms. And trust that you’ll get through it.

KEY WORDS: NAME THE CHALLENGE. EMBRACE IT. TRUST.

2 Break down your worries and anxieties and break through your fear
It’s natural to feel afraid because you’re stepping outside your comfort zone and into the void of the unknown. The bigger the Gulp!, the greater the fear. But don’t blame the situation for your fear. Blame your mind. You created this fear. Your mind triggered it based on your thoughts, your beliefs and your interpretations. So use your mind to reverse it. Separate the reality of the situation from your perception of the situation. Then look for the positive. Focus on the benefits. Command your mind to do so. When you change your perception to a positive one, your feelings of fear will dissolve.

KEY WORDS: SEE THE REALITY. NOTICE YOUR PERCEPTION. MASTER YOUR MIND. CONCENTRATE ON THE POSITIVE.

3 Connect to your core and build a strong centre
When you quieten your mind, you silence the very thoughts that create fear and worry in the first place, so you can disarm them completely. When you connect to your core, you find wu-ji, that inner place of stillness where there are no thoughts, no fears, no judgements and no worries. Here there is no ego, only your true essence. Here is your inner strength and personal power. Here is your higher wisdom. And above all, here is the space from where ‘the new’ can emerge and be created. So create space today to spend time in stillness, silence and deep reflection. Practise silencing your thoughts and managing the chit chat in your mind by simply commanding it to stop. Breathe deeply and fully. Consciously be in the present. Connect to nature and the power of music.

ACTION: STOP. GET FRESH AIR. BREATHE. SILENCE YOUR THOUGHTS.

4 Imagine new opportunities and invent new possibilities
When you invent inner calm you can hear your higher wisdom. This is a powerful space for creation. What you create from this space is pure and aligned to your true nature. So don’t settle for the first solution you think of. Use this opportunity as a catalyst to really make some lasting and transformational changes to your life. Open your mind. Stretch it. Expand it. Spark your imagination. Extend your perception of what could be possible. Be brave and challenge the status quo. Don’t think of ‘what is’, ask yourself ‘what could be’? You are the creator of your own life. So what do you want to create? Imagine, dream and allow magic to happen.

KEY WORDS: SPARK. EXPAND. IMAGINE. DREAM.

5 Prepare yourself and practise, practise, practise
Choose the path that inspires and motivates you. Hold the bigger vision and start moving forward. Being in the void is always an unknown quantity. Yes, you can make the leap blindly. Or you can reduce the risk by plugging the gaps and building footbridges. As you move towards your Gulp!, determine what you know, and what you don’t know. Use your centring techniques to tune into what’s really important and to guide you towards exactly the right people, places and information you need. Put a plan in place; not a rigid plan but a loose framework that you can flow with. Then start building footbridges. Practise what you need to say. Practise the big moment itself. Practise keeping cool, calm and collected. The more you practise, the less challenging it will feel. Build your physical energy reservoir and minimise energy drainers, so that when you step up you are in top form.

KEY WORDS: CHART YOUR COURSE. PLAN. PREPARE. PRACTISE. BUILD ENERGY.

6 Focus on your chosen path and go with the flow
As you move forwards towards your big Gulp!, don’t try and control every outcome. Instead, remain calm and centred in the void of the unknown and use your intuition and instinct to guide you. Look out for coincidences or examples of synchronicity that act as signposts. In fact, consciously attract them to you. When you’re faced with a decision or choice, use your energy calibrator to guide you; if your energy expands, move forward; if your energy contracts, stop and question. And decide what you need to let go of because it’s holding you back from truly being in the flow. And stay centred and in the flow. Each foot forward feels easy and graceful. It feels ‘right’. Remember, you are the creator of your life in any moment.

KEY WORDS: FOCUS. FLOW. RELEASE. FLOW. SIGNPOSTS. FLOW. LET GO. FLOW.

7 Just Gulp! and go for it
You’ve done everything you can to make this Gulp! a success. You’ve calmed your mind, mastered your fear and you see your challenge from a place of possibility. You’re moving forward in the flow and you’ve prepared yourself and practised. No more waiting. No more preparing. You are ready. It is Gulp! time. So take the leap of faith. Know that it will be graceful and swift. And know that when you land on the other side it will be with both feet on the ground, balanced and poised.

KEY WORDS: YOU ARE READY. IT’S GULP! TIME. MOVE SWIFTLY AND GRACEFULLY.

Gabriella’s Top Five Tips

1.  Be Daring: Do something that really gets your adrenaline pumping. Sign up for some amateur dramatics, enter a karaoke competition, ask someone out on a date or even book a trek to Machu Picchu.

2.  Clear the Decks: De-clutter your life and make space for something new to emerge. Start with your home and your office and have a big clear out (don't forget your wardrobe). Take everything down to your favourite charity shop.

3.  Spring Clean Your Friendships: Make a pact to surround yourself with people that energise you, people that really support you and your dreams. This means spending less time with the people that drain you - sad, but true. Quit being a leaky bucket - you need your energy!

4.  Start Three New Projects: Spend the next 6 months working on three new projects; one for your heart (eg. learning how to paint), one for your head (eg. finally getting that bathroom done!) and one for your soul (eg. volunteering at a children's charity)

5.  Go for Gulp!: Take advantage of the invigorating spring energy to make a decision about one BIG change in your life - probably one you've been mulling over for a while. Maybe you want to try for a baby, or you're thinking of moving to Australia, or you're dreaming of starting your own business. Just be bold, be brave and make it happen.

More detailed tips...

1. Don’t be Boring.  Life is too short to play it safe all the time. Learn to pole dance, swim with dolphins or take up white water rafting.

2. Have at Least One Quick Win.  Get your motivational juices going by doing something that will give you a quick result. For example, give your hairstyle a radical makeover, have a private Italian lesson or ask someone out on a date.

3. Make a Splash.  Bold is beautiful, so stand up and stand out. Do something that is radical for you, something where your true talent shines through. Pick up the microphone on karaoke night at the pub, buy a canvas and paints and find your inner Van Gogh, treat yourself to a session with a personal stylist.

4. Face Your Fears.  Make this the year that you confront your biggest fears. If you’re afraid of flying, see a hypnotherapist and make your first flight; or if you’re shy, join a walking group and find your inner socialite; or if you lack confidence at work, take on a big project that will really show your true backbone.

5. Be Different.  Are you a follower or a leader? It’s so easy to get swayed by what other people think that you end up following the crowd and lose your individuality. But be proud of what makes you unique. If you like wearing zany hats, then wear them; if you don’t like to drink alcohol then don’t; and if you want to paint your lounge bright pink, then just do it.

6. Let Go.  One of the hardest things to do is to “let go” of the old. So this year, focus on letting go of one big bug bear in your life. Maybe you need to let go of that ex you still hold a flame for, or maybe you need to let go of always being right, or maybe you just need to let go of ever being a Size 4.

7. Give Yourself an Inner Makeover.  We often start the year with a big list of things we want to “do”. But sometimes the best results come from changing who we’re “being”. So do some navel gazing and ask yourself “what behaviours would I like to change this year?” Maybe you want to be more confident, or more decisive or less controlling. Make this the theme for the next 30 days.

8. Ask, “What If?”  Your mind is only limited by the extent of your imagination. So it’s time think outside the box and stretch your vision of what’s possible. Make a list of all the things you’d do if…you won ten million pounds, you knew you only had 6 months to live and you were granted three wishes by a genie in a bottle.

9. Mocker it Up.  At the beginning of each year I sit down and make a “vision board” for how I’d like my life to be by the end of the year. I grab a big pile of old magazines and cut out images and words that visually represent my vision. Then I paste them onto a large piece of paper and pin it to the wall where I can see it every day. Try it, it works – usually in the most mysterious of ways!

10. Pledge It.  There’s nothing like telling the world about your goals to keep you committed and on track. So why not pledge your Revolutions.  Visit us at www.gulptime.com where you can submit your pledge and raise money for charity in the process. After all, if not now…when?