Whatever change you seek, always start with a vision of what you want the experience and end result to look like. Don't be afraid to dream. Visualize your ideal life, and make sure it's aligned with the foundational qualities of an inspired individual (clarity, integrity, courage, and compassion) and that it also resonates according to the voice of your Essential Self (intuition, vitality, love, and connection).
Being vision driven doesn't mean that inspired living is goal driven. Goals are helpful, but they can become rigid sources of attachment and worry. Having a clear vision means that your life is intention based. The more explicit you are about your inner and outer intentions, the easier it will be to make beneficial choices and know when you're living in your essence (and when you aren't).
Inner intentions are statements like: I will be more loving [or patient, comical, or forgiving]. Circumstances have no impact on whether or not you can fulfill an inner intention-in fact, the harder the situation, the better the opportunity to practice what you aspire to.
Outer intentions are things that are more circumstantial and external. Here are some examples: I will help reduce the number of homeless people in my city, I will spend more time with my parents, or I will drink less. If you don't know what you want yet and your Essential Self isn't clear, then start with the feelings you desire more of in your life. Less stress? More joy? That's enough to get you started.
A helpful exercise is to write a short paragraph that describes your ideal life one year from now. Use the present tense, and make it as inspiring as possible. Describe how you will feel about yourself and your relationships, as well as the ways in which you spend your time. Don't include any limits or doubts you may have in your personal progress. Remember to stay connected to your Essential Self as you write. Wishing for wealth and power, for example, may be aligned with what your Persona desires.
For a truly inspiring and extraordinary vision, start by asking yourself: What does life want from me? What is my greatest gift to the world? What does God want from me? If you're willing to ask these kinds of questions, take a weekend and some quiet time to reflect. Feel your way into the answers, and try not to overthink it. Ask for guidance and spend a lot of time listening within.
Excerpt from my upcoming book, Inspiration Deficit Disorder.