Ask and you shall receive.  It’s not what happens to you that shapes your life, it’s how you interpret and evaluate those experiences.  The meaning you attach to an event or circumstance determines the decisions you make, the actions you take and ultimately – your destiny.

And decisions are nothing more than questions we ask and answer for ourselves.  So if you want to change the quality of your life, you need to change the questions you ask. If you ask yourself disempowering questions like “why does this happen to me?” and “what’s the use?” it depresses you and drains your energy.  If you focus on questions that make you feel overloaded and overwhelmed, you’ll keep yourself in a limited emotional state and that will prevent you from taking positive action.

Questions determine everything you do in your life, from your abilities to your relationships to your income.  What power could you unlease by asking some simple but powerful questions?  They are a magic tool that allows our minds to meet our wishes, they are the wake up call to our unlimited potential.

They’ll allow us to achieve our desires – but only if we present them in a specific and positive, well thought out request.  So rather than “why am I so depressed?” ask “What can I do to change my state and feel energy and lightness right now?”  Change your questions and you’ll change your state of mind and your circumstances!

1.  Create your own definition of personal success. Not what you do or what you have (or want to have) but what do you want personally?  Who do you want to become?  Once you’ve defined your personal vision, start living “as if” you are already there.

2. Discover your purpose.  We hear a lot about purpose, but getting deeply centered and knowing yours will inspire you tremendously.  The movers and shakers of our time have always been deeply connected to their purpose and energized by it.  What are your unique God given gifts and talents?  Your deepest passions and your strengths?  You are uniquely wired – there’s no one else like you.

3.  Love big, give big.  Make a commitment today to love those around you in a big way.  Maybe that means forgiving someone who drives you crazy!  Make a choice to invest in everyone whom God has brought into your life.  Every time I meet someone new I ask myself what possibilities exist to learn from this relationship, no matter how brief. Give from knowing you have a reservoir that is always filling – there’s more than enough.

4. Simplify one area of your life.  Delegate or delete an obligation, chore, task or project that’s draining your energy. Take time to find room to breathe physically and mentally.  The distraction of clutter in any form saps your strength and motivation.

5. Stop the bottom feeding mental habits.  They are self destructive and health destructive.  What I’m talking about is that when challenging situations or change comes at you, put your energy toward finding the best (and simplest) solution possible.   Resist the temptation to go to the dark side and ruminate about why this is happening, why it’s unfair, why you haven’t done it yet and other nasty bottom feeding habits like denial, total stress out, blowing up or heading for an emotional meal.