Transformational, Long-Term, Permanent, Lasting Change

The only way to lastingly change your life is with a game-changing intervention.

It's true, not everyone needs permanent change. Some people are happy with the status quo, even if it's unhealthy or unhappy. But if you're tired and stagnant and need something new, there's a process that will work for you- an intervention that can create long term, irreversible changes in a few weeks or days. And I'm just the person to tell you how!

TWISTING YOUR TONE 

A) Write an introduction to an informative and factual blog post titled "How the Universe Expands".

B) Write an emotional letter to a friend or loved one titled "I Need You More Than Ever".

C) Find yourself in a conversation with an acquaintance, listening to a client, watching television, reading the paper. Pay attention to what they're saying. Comparing their tone with your own, notice where they rate in terms of happiness and peace of mind. Jot down your observations.

C) Next time you're telling a story to someone, notice how you're speaking. Is it with love or fear? The more you practice speaking with love, the more pleasant your tone will become. Be aware of the moments when you speak harshly to someone, and remember that tone is everything! 

D) Write a blog post taking issue with Adolph Hitler's "final solution" E) Write a letter to a parent expressing regret for some past behavior. F) Ask yourself how you would be if you were honest and sincere. G) Ask yourself how you would be if you loved more.

H) Notice how you're feeling and then find a way to express that feeling in your speech, interactions, music and art.

I) Think of a tiny change that will have an amazingly positive effect on your life (something small, like adding just one extra minute to your exercise routine each day). No matter what happens during the next few weeks or months – no matter if it changes nothing else at all – make sure you do the tiny thing every single day. If a tiny, tiny change can make all the difference in the world, imagine what a drastic change can do!

J) Imagine that you're going to die on your 50th birthday from an unexpected illness. You have just a few months to live – what do you want to accomplish? Now, imagine that when you die on your 50th birthday, you've done everything on the list. What else would you like accomplished? (If this imaginary exercise makes it impossible for you to think about anything else for weeks or months at a time, great!)

K) Find an example of what happens when someone or something goes too far. An example can be from real life, from fiction or from someone famous (or infamous).

L) Write an essay or letter to a friend about some tragic or difficult life experience you had. (Not Dr. Phil!)

M) Find a song on the radio that reminds you of someone, a loved one or yourself in a particular time or place. If the song is speaking badly of someone, try adding that person's name in parenthesis after the title of the song. If it speaks well of someone, add "and..." and your positive attribute in parenthesis after the title. If it has no words at all, just write down how you feel whenever you hear it.

N) Be aware of how your voice sounds when happy and sad. Write an email or phone message to a friend, telling them how you're feeling.

O) Do some research on the causes of your problems (physical and mental). Make a list of all the medical conditions that could possibly be affecting you. Also make a list of all the psychological problems you are experiencing as well.

P) If you have time to do nothing else in this process, please take a look at my previous post about emotional baggage and this one , which details how to use your "emotional baggage" as fuel for transformation.)

Q) Write an essay titled: "What is Happiness?"

R) Write an essay titled: "How Did You Let Yourself Go?" or continue with the emotional letter from step B above.

S) Watch the news. Does it make you feel better or worse? TV dramas and comedies?

T) Any and all of the items above could be reworded in a slightly different way. Just find something that interests you! 

U) At least once a day, especially while you're working, think to yourself: "I am loved" or "This is funny" or "I am good enough".

V) Watch your thoughts. What are they telling you? And what are they telling others? 

W) Listen to your language and eliminate any words that aren't ever going to help you win friends and influence people.

X) Make a list of all the statements you're making that are wrong or negative.

Y) Maybe you think things like "I trust nobody" or "I used to be happy, but now I'm depressed", which is making your life pretty miserable. If you can recognize these false beliefs and change them to positive ones, your life will change.

Z) Read the above article on emotional freedom and then write an essay titled: "How to Find Freedom." It should be an essay that describes how you would feel if you had complete emotional freedom in every area of your life.

+ = A nice way to say what you mean without putting anyone else down

"My editor used to say that a well-placed adjective can be good for a writer's soul." — Tim O'Brien

"Stay away from the words pompous, precious and pretentious. Don't use them in your writing or speaking. You'll never achieve the level of perfection you're aiming at if you let such trifles turn your head." — Mary McCarthy

"Language is the source of misunderstanding." — Edward de Bono

"There are four rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are."— W.