Themes to Live By in 2012 and Beyond

I was re-reading the book You Can Create an Exceptional Life, by Louise Hay and Cheryl Richardson, and came to a list of themes to live by that Louise Hay has used to guide her life’s decisions.

They seem like the perfect way to start a new year. If we can remember to follow these themes on a daily basis, we can all create the life we were intended to lead. When you review these, think about the changes you might make in your own life and work and how following these might make a difference. They are part of a holistic approach to life and work, encompassing spirit, mind and body.

Simplicity – Focusing on small, simple, and manageable steps instead of making things complicated. Break big issues down into small pieces and tackle the small bits one at a time.
Optimism – putting attention and energy toward solutions rather than focusing on problems. Whenever you’re facing a challenge, ask yourself, “what are the possible solutions, or how might things be different if this problem didn’t exist?”

Patience – experiencing the journey fully and consciously rather than rushing to achieve a particular result. An excellent reminder for the changes ahead in 2012. We are living through unprecedented, tumultuous times. Focus on the journey and solutions, and enjoy the ride.

Trust – learning to trust Life by seeing the perfection and opportunity for growth in all our experiences. This reminds me of Daniel Nahmod’s song, “If the Race is Over” from his Water album (click the link to listen to the song). It offers an excellent message about trust and our purpose in life.

Growth – viewing life as a classroom where we use our experiences as catalysts for change and self-realization. We’re never too old to learn something new.

Service – focusing more on how we can best encourage and assist those in need, as opposed to getting lost in our own personal vision and quest for success. Become a servant leader. By serving others and doing our best, we achieve our desired outcomes.

Action – making a commitment to show up and walk through the doors that Life opens for us on our journey. Showing up is half the battle. Be present to all your experiences and take action.

Faith – being willing to take chances and keep moving forward without knowing the outcome. Accept that you won’t always have all the answers and learn to trust your gut instincts.

Magnetism – developing and tapping into the ability to attract what we need by putting and keeping ourselves in the right state of mind. Focus on positive thoughts and imagine yourself already having achieved what you’re striving for. If you can see it, you can manifest its reality.