MIRACLE Challenge Day 21

April 21, 2019April 21, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

The Magic of Wonder Prompting

The Magic of Wonder Prompting is more than the 2nd step of The Miracle Questing Process. It works like a Wonder Wand and helps you move from distraction to focus, use doubt as fuel, feed your faith in your capacities and give yourself instant fortitude to rise above any drama!.

~Aneesah Wilhelmstätter

In the past 3 weeks, I have introduced ‘wonder’, more specifically “prompting wonder” as the second step in the Miracle Questing Process. Yet, it is indeed so much more than that! In my creative change coaching practice, this creative solution focused exercise is used by my clients to bring about resolution regarding difficulties in all areas of their lives!

Having A Wonderful Night’s Sleep!

I would like to share how I have used it 2 days ago. It was mid-evening, when I got off an extremely stressful, emotionally charged ‘conversation’ that lasted 1 hour and 45 minutes. Not an ideal set-up for a refreshing night’s sleep! It helped that during the conversation, I was determined to not let the unavoidable conversation deteriorate to drama. After the conversation, I used many of my MIRACLE Routine & Ritual Habits to return to my center:

Move – light foam rolling and stretching (3 minutes)
Imagine – imagine a success from that day (on and off for a few seconds)
Read & Reflect – I read from my creative change chronicles (journal, logs, TA DA! list) and reflected on what went well outside of that conversation and even in that conversation!
Affirm & Breathe – yes! on whatever you can get hold of. It does help to have some written affirmations close at hand. Stick with one and repeat.
Count Your Blessings – I gave myself a silent pat on the back for choosing to stay strong and not take things personally. I felt deep gratitude for all the work I have done over the years and that I have tools to support me!
Lists & Logs – I reviewed my food log, scanned TO DO and TA DA! lists! I created a mental list in preparation for the next day.
Embrace Change – I definitely got off digital devices! and did not use television as a distraction. I chose to EMBRACE the evening and EASE into next segment i.e. sleep segment of my day.

Having missed dinner due to the conversation, I ate something light and looked at the bright side of that!

Once in bed, I again tapped into my MIRACLEs, with affirmations, breathing, reflection and imagination – my priority was keeping my integrity intact! In bed I was still restless but managed to draw my attention to Miracle Questing! I prompted myself to “Pick a Project” – A Good Night’s Sleep! and to come out ‘unharmed’, refusing to take things personally.

I then initiated my WONDER PROMPT, inviting myself to be easy with it and introduce some playfulness. “I wonder what I might do now to get a Good Night’s Sleep…” “… to calm myself… to return to self… to take my mind to a better place… to get back to my priorities and plans for a great day tomorrow…” The answer that met me was clearly “Count Your Blessings!”, the ‘C’ of MIRACLE Routines & Rituals… So “Count Your Blessings!” it was!. I would count one, two, even three blessings, focusing on how I blessed myself by making creative, fertile choices instead of futile ones. Then my mind would get distracted. I called in my imagination and harnessed my Wonder Prompt a second time. Upon the third re-activation of my WONDER PROMPT, with the same answer that I followed through on… I fell into a reasonably restful sleep.

When I woke up twice during the night, it was easy to tap into the power of Wonder, and in a minute or two, it was natural for me to return to deep sleep with ease and grace.

Wonder Upon Wonder!

Reflecting, now as I write this post, I realise that conversation did turn around in the last 10 or so minutes because of my exceptional efforts. I had mentally wondered: “What can I do to end this in a good place, peacefully and turn things around?” I see now it was when I activated that wonder, that the other party also moved into wonder and asked the question out LOUD: “I WONDER WHY EVERY TIME THIS SUBJECT COMES UP, IT GOES SO WRONG! WONDER UPON WONDERS! I am very aware that at that point she relaxed, took a breath, decided to rise above the ‘taking it personally, victim mindset’ and get to focus over distraction, fortitude over drama and faith in her ability to manage what needed to be done instead of doubt and the runaway train of anxiety the task that needed to be done had provoked.

The Magic of Wonder Prompting is like a magic wand and can do the same and more for you. I hope you will give it a go!

MIRACLE Challenge Day 20

April 20, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

From PLOT to Party!

How do you manifest your MIRACLE saying YES to the Miracle Question? Begin with the beginning with the end in mind… Say Yes to the MIRACLE OF YOU and YES to actively creating the best you and the best life for you. This 7 Step Process helps you begin plotting your possibility, take what is within your potential but you now see as “impossibility” to possibility. It all starts with picking your project. Whatever project one chooses, one’s ultimate project is one’s own Self and one’s own personality upgrade. Here is the updated version of Miracle Questing and MIRACLE Breakthroughs!

Pick a Project: Where in yourself and in your life do you want to experience a MIRACLE breakthrough?
Prompt Yourself by choosing to embrace wonder instead of worry: “I wonder what it would be like to….”
Prime Consciousness! During this PRIME TIME, you ask the Miracle Question: What if I can own up to my potential? What if I can create a relationship that is…? What if I can become that person, that partner for me? What if I can do this…?
Picture the Possibility actively using your imagination. I find it useful to focus my attention using prompts such as:” What I can see myself doing is…” and make your vision vivid and full of vitality! Don’t get hung up on judging your capacity for visualisation. Whatever comes up for you, is the way you visualise. Trust it and it will develop as you get better at stilling your mind, freeing yourself of distractions.
Prepare by being ready to receive. Nothing says “I am ready to receive” better than having pen and paper beside your bed to record any insights that come to you at bedtime, and when you awaken, whether during the night or in the morning. It is a way to align your thoughts, your actions and your belief with your intentions to tap into your inner wisdom.
Pause to Plan. What’s the point of the process if one is not willing to take inspired action. Draw up an action plan that includes thoughts you will think and beliefs you will allow to bloom that support your intention to manifest the miracles you desire.
Pledge and Play it forward. Once you’ve drawn up some sort of action plan, you want to play it forward by placing it front and centre in your everyday life. You start plotting the routines and rituals that make up your daily MIRACLE habits. The clearer and more specific you are, the easier it is to plot your PROGRESS. Let your plan include LISTS, your TO DO’s and whatever other lists help you. You can create a list of affirmations, thoughts, beliefs that serve as menus to choose from. Everyday, even several times a day, it is useful and essential to talk to yourself about your progress and to party! Cheer yourself on, dance, do a victory pump, say “yay me!” and of course, use your TA DA! success logs to give yourself credit for your efforts!

MIRACLE Challenge Day 19

April 19, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

On BEING the Miracle

Screenshot 2019-04-19 at 07.25.47

I choose to Be the exception rather than take exception!

What a powerful and empowered way to navigate your day when one has the exceptional mindset. An exceptional life can only come from making exceptional choices. How differently does one show up in one’s life when one navigates the day with this orientation to be the exception rather than take exception!

This does not mean being a pushover – to the contrary! it means that instead of attack, avoidance and accommodation, instead of feeling the victim, to take a more heroic stance. To accept what is and then ALSO accept that you have what it takes to do what needs to be done. It’s about making fertile rather than futile choices.

Exceptional does not mean big efforts. For example, if one is unfit and overweight, and decides to do something different i.e. be the exception and take charge of one’s life – the next exceptional (different thing i.e. be the change) can be to start with ONE PUSH UP OR ONE SIT UP A DAY!

I invite you to give it a go!

MIRACLE Challenge Day 18

April 18, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

EMBRACE CHANGE

Embrace Change is certainly a case of leaving best for last! Day 7 of the mini-MIRACLE Challenge (i.e. Day 18 of the April MIRACLE Challenge) was about taking the MIRACLE referenced question: “What can I do today and everyday, as a routine and ritual to live this habit of EMBRACE CHANGE?”

It helps to ask the question of Appreciative Inquiry:

How am I doing it already?

I find that appreciation appreciates, gets your focus where you need it, helps overcome self-doubting, minimising, negative mind chatter and starts the miracle alignment process. No matter where you are in your life, no matter how conflicted your lifestyle and choices might be to what you really want, on some level, in some area of your life, you are actually ’embracing change’. Be willing to really notice and talk to yourself about the ways you embrace change or have in the past. Really reach if you need to, notice where you ease into something and it is a strength e.g. where you accept an effort you need to make without trying to talk yourself out of it, or in spite of trying to talk yourself out of it. This REFLECTION will help you start generating the evidence you need to feed your faith in your capacity to EMBRACE CHANGE.

And, no matter how efficient we may be at embracing some changes, deciding to live your potential i.e. be the miracle you were born to be, one’s entire lifetime, day in and day out is about being willing to court change, and to meet the change that happens with Creative Change!

Create a LIST of where you embrace change. Regularly expand this list with self-challenges to keep getting better at this habit. Use your MIRACLE questing regularly to help you with this commitment.

MIRACLE QUESTING to BE THE MIRACLE!

The first MIRACLE referenced question you ask regarding EMBRACE CHANGE is to receive guidance from your intuition, for practical ways to embrace change in your life. You might take specific questions to address an area of difficulty, for example, you may need to learn to get up earlier, perhaps your challenge is turning off the television or getting off social media in order to start preparing for the next day and for a restful and rejuvenating night’s sleep.

On a scale of 1-10, how willing are you to make the exception and “BE THE CREATIVE CHANGE” i.e. “BE THE MIRACLE?” you need you to become to live your potential, to live your best life and be the best version of yourself no matter what? As you READ, RECORD, REFLECT AND READ your ideas and questions, explore the areas of your life where you most need a miracle. Then ask yourself the question:

Who do I need to become to get to where I must get to?

Then take this alignment and focus to your MIRACLE QUESTING experience. Now ask yourself: “What if a Miracle has happened while I was asleep, and now that I am awake and notice this MIRACLE has taken place…What am I noticing?”. Keep a pen and paper beside your bed to record any impressions and ideas that come through. Open to insights that will point you in the direction of changes you need to make in yourself, the grievances you need to let go of to make room for the MIRACLE of you! Then start following through in your thoughts, actions and beliefs. In other words, invest time in drawing up a MIRACLE plan regarding the person you need to become, one you can be proud of, one that stands up as an example of you redeeming the potential that is your birthright!

EASE INTO CHANGE!

When you look around you, you don’t need to look far or wide to see an example of a change to embrace. Begin with YES, by asking the Miracle Question. Nothing says a willingness to get to and beyond ‘acceptance’ than this action! Acceptance is the ultimate first step to create alignment. It is not a cliche for nothing that “What we resist, persists!”. Another way of looking at EMBRACE CHANGE is to see the ‘E’ in MIRACLE to ask one to EASE INTO CHANGE!

MIRACLE Challenge Day 17

April 17, 2019April 17, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

My favorite quote is this one by Albert Einstein

There are only two ways to live your life: as though nothing is a miracle, or as though everything is a miracle. ~Einstein

MIRACLE Stacking

Yesterday, I introduced the idea of habit stacking, and shared an example of one of my MIRACLE stacks. Change happens… creative change needs a helping hand. I see ‘creative change’ as a MIRACLE. What MIRACLE do you need to give a helping hand to right now?

MIRACLE Sequencing

At any point of your day, you can give creative change a helping hand by bringing this mindset of ‘willing to make the exceptional effort” i.e. doing something different and starting to feed your faith in yourself instead of becoming a victim of your own self-doubt.

I MOVE in the morning and did a workout at my gym. On a Wednesday, I also do a New Balance W.O.C (work out challenge) at home. To align my thoughts, actions and beliefs with my intentions, i.e. Pick up the TAB, I create a MIRACLE sequence script. Think of this process as segment inscripting/ inscribing. One cannot document every single effort you make but I have found that sequencing your steps gives you evidence you can use to give yourself credit for your efforts. When we do not notice and acknowledge that we are showing up and making exceptional efforts on our own behalf, it becomes all too easy to focus on imperfections and feed self-doubt. Here’s my sequence:

After I’ve had my meal in a state of sacred presence, I enjoy a cup of coffee for dessert. I then PREPARE a tall glass of mint tea to start hydrating for my workout.
I review my Food LOG, and make decisions & deals (regarding eating )for the rest of the day.
I READ my life purpose statement on repeat for 60 seconds. It helps me EMBRACE CHANGE i.e. transition into a new segment. I REFLECT for 60 seconds and then set a specific time for my workout (MOVE).
After committing to a time, I create a LIST of MOVES, using a To Do LIST with checkboxes so I can check the boxes during the workout and transform it into a TA DA! LIST.
Once my LIST (Victory PLAN) is set-up for success, I IMAGINE (mental rehearsal/ PRIME TIME) workout success. During this session, I focus on answering the questions: “What can I see myself doing?”, “How am I picking up the TAB*?”
I use affirmations i.e. AFFIRM & BREATHE, as part of my PRIMING & PREPARATION. I AFFIRM my intention to workout, and choose thoughts and beliefs that align with my intention to MOVE. e.g. I show up set up for success, I start strong, stay strong and finish stronger!
During my workout, I use AFFIRM & BREATHE to stay strong!
In the meantime, I PREPARE my gym gear, workout equipment and line up my playlist.
(choose an activity until workout time, usually 1 hour after meal). In this time leading up to my workout, I will talk to myself about how I have set myself up for workout success. e.g. I have eaten well, nourished to flourish. I have eaten to support a strong workout. I am well-hydrated, have a victory plan, am primed and prepared to nail it. I intend to make myself proud. I am here to make progress and be the best me I can be. etc. etc.

*TAB = thoughts, actions, beliefs!

TIP: Keep pen & paper close at hand to RECORD any insights that come to you, as the fruits of your REFLECTION while you are working out!

At the end of your workout, do a victory dance… count it as another MOVE!

You may also do 60 seconds of COUNT MY BLESSINGS, where you thank yourself for showing up so exceptionally! i.e. being the change you want to see!

Be the change you wish to see in the world! ~Mahatma Gandhi

MIRACLE Challenge Day 16

April 16, 2019April 16, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

How Are You Stacking Up?

With experience, you will get better at connecting the dots i.e. certain habits together. For example, you will come to seize opportunities while executing you ‘Move’ for habits of affirmation (Affirm & Breathe), Embrace Change, Reflection, Lists, Logs and so much more.

Three to Thrive

Also referred to as 3-2-Thrive, this idea highlights creating mini-lists of 3 ways to execute the particular part of your MIRACLE Routine and Rituals. Thinking in threes, paradoxically decreases one’s anxiety about choosing, because you start seeing your efforts in threes instead of as three separate items to remember. When it comes to mind more easily i.e. with less mental effort, you become proficient at targeting 3 things you can do towards manifesting a particular MIRACLE item. IN THIS WAY, when you look at your list and/or log, it becomes obvious where you are strong and where you can benefit from some extra dedicated focus.

READ & REFLECTION MENU

Choose a day to focus on one MIRACLE item. You may have already started your MIRACLE questing, and taken the miracle question:”How might I add more value and creativity to my reflection habits?”. Play with possible questions you can ask that refer specifically to your reading and reflection habits… and ask it in a way that resonates with you. Log your ideas, keep your insight/miracle journal. Then start putting your ideas, impressions and insights into practice. Trust that you are reading and reflecting daily, you simply want to invest in this habit so that it serves and supports you.

YOUR personal read and reflection menu provides you with a list of opportunities to fulfil this habit. In BuJu (Bullet Journal) circles, these are referred to as indexes, amongst other things. It’s as simple as selecting an item from a menu.

Resources

Try your hand at habit stacking:

Your evening MIRACLE routine habit stack might look like this:

After I have my dinner, I will READ something from my journal for twenty seconds and REFLECT for 60 seconds.
After I READ & REFLECT, I will write my To-Do LIST for the next day’s MOVE.
After I write my To-Do LIST, I will immediately IMAGINE vividly, for 20 seconds, MOVE- success. I will visualise victory.
As I am visualising victory, I will start formulating an AFFIRMATION about my MOVE-plan.
After I have formulated an AFFIRMATION, I will affirm it out loudly and/or write it down.

TIP: You can add a “COUNT MY BLESSINGS” before EMBRACING CHANGE in some small way by moving to something in your life that speaks “embrace change’. This could be setting your alarm (wake up call), getting gear ready for next day’s workout, putting pen and paper next to your bed, preparing or committing to what you will have for breakfast the next day (notice too that you are now checking things off one of your To Do lists). In this way, you have just checked all the MIRACLE intentions as represented by the acronym… and can do a mental Ta DA! (LIST). Step this up by seeing it as a PLEDGE. Treat it like a self-promise!

Read what James Clear has to say about habit stacking (the traditional sense).

MIRACLE Challenge Day 15

April 15, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

Know Your Value

What if a Miracle has happened and you notice that you are stepping up your self-talk, what are you saying to yourself that reflects that you are embracing your real worth? If you want to live up your potential, it’s important to have a vision of self. I invite you to take this question to your miracle questing regularly.

What lies inside of you... — What lies inside of you…

What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison with what lies inside of you.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

MIRACLE Check-Ins with STICKIES

WWW?: What went well?

Create an actual reflection of where you are at now, or make a MIRACLE vision board of what an ideal day would look like if a miracle has happened and you are showing up as the best version of yourself.

MIRACLE Routines & Rituals with Stickies

Keep It Moving

What’s your game plan for some Monday MOVES?

MIRACLE Challenge Day 14

April 14, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

How to Add Ritual & Routine to your Day

One way to get your focus on your routines and rituals as something one does in the morning, evening and in-between is to put it down on paper in the form of segments. In this example, I partitioned/bookended my day beyond AM and PM BOOKENDS. Instead, I added several bookends demarcating pre-determined segments. Mine are based on mealtimes. In my DREAM goals, one of my 3-2-Thrive To Dos is to eat every 3 hours (more or less). I call this the 3hFFC i.e. 3 hour food freedom challenge. This alerts my attention to my intention to eat every 3 hours and to give myself freedom from food when it is not mealtime. In this way, I know that between meals is a time to live my life in other ways. We do not live to eat, we eat to live!

With segment work such as this, you get an opportunity to do any number of things at the beginning and/or end of a segment, just as you do at the beginning and end of your day. By checking in and navigating in this way, one gets better at beating the habit of procrastination. You also get a panorama of your day, as it becomes obvious which segments may have been neglected and in which segments, one might be trying to do too much. It will help you achieve balance.

Segment Inscribing Ritual

Whatever is happening, can I do 1 thing in support of manifesting my MIRACLE routine?

This is a check-in, touch base ritual that serves as touchstones, several times a day. One takes a deep breath and asks the question in a ritualistic, ceremonial way, ‘like taking your medicine”*(see below for link to this resourceful ritual). How would you describe your experience of reminding yourself to get to something important several times a day? One of the ways I refer to this kind of check-in is “like being called to prayers”.

The “Did I Do My Best To?” Question

This question comes in two versions. At the end of the day, reflection, one asks: “Did I do my best today to…?” and refers to the area of focus e.g. move my body?, eat mindfully? get enough sleep? etc. As this example pertains to the segments of one’s day as well, at the end of a segment, whether it is an entire segment or a workout challenge (W.O.C) etc. one asks “Did I do my best to…” and refer to the specific goal, intention, workout, or whatever one intended to apply oneself to. Did I do my best to show up strong, prepared and primed for my workout? is one of the infinite number of variations possible. You can reference your intentions, values, purpose, principles, character, and so much more!

The “AM I Doing My Best To?” Question

This is asked during the execution of an intention. “Am I doing my best to

finish stronger on my workout?”
challenge myself to do one more rep?”
eat mindfully?”
notice what I am doing well?”
turn electronics off 1 hours before I go to sleep?”
stop eating when I am full?”
prepare my gear the night before for my workout?”

A variation can be to ask a question at the beginning of the segment/activity e.g. “Am I willing to do my best to…?”

Priority Check-Points

You decide what are your highest priority values, aligned to your purpose and bring this to the table. To be your best, it is important to be open minded, adventurous, open to new, willing to learn, and so forth. You can craft some of these, one or 3 or any number you decide, and formulate it as check-points, check-in questions that encourage self-awareness, self-determination and self-regulation. You will find that these are less prone to judgment and self-condemnation because it allows you to notice that you are doing many of these things already. It helps you focus on how you are doing it already and you may even use the question: “how am I doing it already?” as a navigation question. This is an excellent self-valuing and self-validation tool” that will energise you and build your self-esteem and sense of competency.

The 1-10 Rating Scale

When you ask one of the questions, be it “did I do my best…?” for example, you can precede this with: “On a scale of 1-10”, or 0-10 as you wish. You can decide for example, 0 means ‘no effort’ and 10 means you really challenged yourself.

You may choose a different scale e.g. Yes-No. You may also apply this rating tool to each of your MIRACLE intentions e.g. move, imagine, and go down the list. You might do this for the entire day, therefore in the evening, or at the end of one or more segments or the main activity of a particular segment. Sometimes, the rating is non-applicable i.e. N/A because the item was not a significant focus in that segment. If you dedicate a chunk of time for reflection and meditation, movement may not feature except as calming one’s body perhaps.

Date With Destiny Ritual

Finally, this brings me to the DWD Ritual i.e. The Date With Destiny Ritual. On 14 February 2018, I realised it was the anniversary of a major achievement, as well as Valentine’s Day. I decided to mark the date as significant. This practice became a monthly ritual, so every month since, on the 14th of the month, I have a date with destiny. I believe we create our own destiny and this date reminds me of that, I get to spend time acknowledging that I am on my own side, and make my own destiny. It also helps me celebrate my great win, I lost 20kg and fitted into a particular pair of jeans. It marks achieving an audacious goal! Since then, I have lost more weight and am now celebrating, today, fitting into a new pants, a smaller size. I call it my Victory Pants and Victory Suit! It is an important ritual where I get to hold my win in a ceremonial way.

Resources

You can read more about crafting active and empowering questions here: 6 Questions that will set you up to be Super Successful

Like Taking Your Medicine

A quality life demands quality questions… read more here!

MIRACLE Challenge Day 13

April 13, 2019April 13, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

For the last 2 days, I shared the results of my MIRACLE QUESTING. While I invited one to take a letter per day, a project per day based on the MIRACLE Routine acronym, Reality plays out a little differently. I did 2 days on MOVE, a day on Morning REFLECTION, yesterday on Evening REFLECTION and today, I would like to share with you one of the reflections you may do during the day.

We must be willing to let go the life we have planned, to live the life we have waiting for us. ~Joseph Campbell

Coming Up for Some AIR

Change happens… creative change needs a helping hand! is a daily mantra. With my best intentions in hand, I went to the gym. I was subjected to the unpleasant INCIDENT and experience of being harassed. The gym management were supportive and the culprit will be expelled from the gym. I was determined to be fully present and deal with what needed to be dealt with and move on… aware there may be future consequences, including the possibility of being stalked. To regain my balance, I intuitively felt that I must repurpose my evening reflection. I could have selected the morning one or did a mash up of the two! I describe my resolution as taking care of my needs – I felt I needed to exhale fully and come up for AIR. Herewith my AIR i.e. After Incident Reflection. This is an insight that came to me, to serve and support me… my miracle!

Ta Da! Your Self-Celebratory Habit

I would also love to offer you a page from my journal, one I created in September 2013, that reflects the practice of Ta Da! with the opportunity for some gratitude too! This can serve as a self challenge, keeping a journal for a week or month or whatever using this format! Make some copies or create your own original BuJu version! Note the LISTS & LOGS! This is a success log in itself!

MIRACLE Challenge Day 12

April 12, 2019 ~ MiracleProspector ~ Leave a comment

Yesterday, I covered the Miracle Questing using a miracle question to focus on R = Reflection part of Read & Reflect. I shared my ideas and insights pertaining to the morning reflection part of a Morning MIRACLE Routine. Today, I will share the fruits of my miracle questing pertaining to evening reflection.

Evening Miracle Mastery

As I prepare to make the transition from my daily activities and enter sleep, I allow myself to shift my attention into a new gear… readying myself to find some resolution regarding the day’s events and experiences. I also give myself permission to formulate some hopes regarding my upcoming sleep and dreaming experience. To process my day so I may move on from it, I ponder what I have learned, choices I made, how I showed up and residual or even strong feelings I am holding. I remind myself of my intentions to go to bed with wonder rather than worry. I find it helpful to do some form of check-in regarding my day’s goals and intentions.

MIRACLE Plan Check-In

Here then is part of my evening reflection which I look forward to as a TA DA in itself! The LISTS & LOGS part also embraces CELEBRATION, celebrating my TA DAs! I call my logs e.g. food log, a success log! Part of the reflection I do during my evening MOVE – stretches and foam rolling session.I end my day as I started it i.e. with my MIRACLE plan:

Eveningmiraclemasterytable

M: MOVE: Did I do my best today to follow through on my movement plans for the day?

I: IMAGINE: Did I do my best today to recruit this creative power called imagination?

R: READ & REFLECT: Did I do my best today to get in some reading and reflection time?

A: AFFIRM & BREATHE: Did I do my best today to use affirmations and breathing to support me?

C: COUNT MY BLESSINGS: What are 3 of the blessings I am thankful for?

L: LISTS & LOGS: I get a light sense of my TO DO list and the TA DAs! This check in takes me through my TA DAs! i.e. where I showed up and did what needed to be done. In my experience, this feels like counting sheep, only better. I allow myself to sit with the positive feelings this generates. I forgive myself for where I did not do my best. It’s a good time to write TO DO lists for the next day!

E: EMBRACE CHANGE: I unplug from certain activities i.e. electronics off! at the time I’ve decided. I make any preparations I need to make for the next day e.g. preparing breakfast, laying out workout gear, etc. I take a moment to again reflect on my dreams and any ideas and insights that came through. I have pen and paper next to my bed to jot down any ideas and insights that will come to me in the morning.

What are TA DAs?

First you create To Do lists, e.g. for MOVE, 3 items might be: stretch, walk, workout. When you check these items off your TO DO list, it becomes a TA DA list. ‘Ta Da’ is an expression that is used to indicate “yes, I did it!” and is usually said with a flourish and some kind of open armed gesture expressing joy.

Picking up the TAB

I take a few seconds to ask and answer the question:

Did I do my best today to pick up the TAB?
Did I do my best today to choose thoughts, actions and beliefs aligned with my intentions?
Did I do my best today to free myself from thoughts, actions and beliefs that were incongruent with my intentions?

(I am usually also specific here e.g. Did I do my best today to choose thoughts, actions and beliefs that support my goal to keep making progress with this weight loss, fitness and health victory?)

Reflective Questions

As I get used to this form of self-inquiry, it becomes an intuitive practice that takes less than a minute! It really is a powerful pledge and script one is creating. It is helpful to see it as a story, a series of affirmations and a way to connect with yourself.

What went well?
What upgrade opportunity am I inspired to seize?
What one thing will I do differently?
How badly do I want it, more than I want anything else?
What do I need to let go of to make this happen for me?

The VOW-Powered Life

Because I navigate my day using agreements and vows I’ve made with myself e.g. don’t ask for permission, be self-directed, etc., all of the above serves as a way to check in that I am in fact keeping my promises to myself, and to renew my commitments!

Affirm & Breathe

I am ready to put my day behind me and enter into a peaceful night’s sleep. I feel blessed, and appreciative of my exceptional efforts and the right choices I made. I release myself from grievances to make room for MIRACLES. No matter what happened, bad, indifferent or good; I still have my dreams, I am still saying “YES” to myself, ‘Yes’ to my life and ‘Yes’ to my potential. I know that even as I sleep, I am tapping into my potential. I am ready to receive inner guidance with an open heart and mind. I will wake up refreshed, energised and ready for a new day and new opportunities. I am ready to say “Good Night“!

Celebrate

In a future blog, I will focus on daily CELEBRATION. One way of celebrating your wins, at least once a week is to have a Mind Party.

In my Mind Party, all my party guests bring with them their Cookie Jar and we have a session sitting around the fire, sharing our success stories. The cookies in the cookie jar represent the wins, big and small. This is the fuel to keep on going. The tiny wins, the daily grind ones, is what wins the game. Recollecting and celebrating them i.e. TA DA! gives one a sense of the compound effect, the adding up!

Go to the Cookie Jar to remind yourself how Badass you are!

Reflections & Resources

Notice that even as you are checking in, you are ticking the boxes, for example, you are practicing read, affirm & breathe and even Logs & Lists as you evaluate and appraise your day! That is the beauty of the MIRACLE practice. You can do it all during a round of check-ins.

A beautiful resource on the practice called “Saying Good Night“.

Here’s some ideas on what it is about and how to host one!