You wish that you could do something over, take back an action, or exchange an utterance? The bad news is that you can’t – what’s done is done. The good news is that it’s already in the past and this is the first moment of the rest of your life. Since you can’t change the past, what does your future hold? It’s up to you to choose.

As a society we are often stuck in a rut. Not satisfied with our past and our present, but reluctant to step up to the plate and make the future what we desire. Too often this occurs because we don’t realize that we created the path we are on consciously or unconsciously. But nothing is written in stone. Change begins first with a thought, followed by a choice, which becomes an action.

Jenny was very depressed. It seemed that no matter how hard she tried she couldn’t get her business off the ground and her bills were mounting to epic proportions. She knew that if she couldn’t turn things around relatively quickly, that she would soon be facing bankruptcy. Knowing that things were out of hand she asked her best friend to lunch for some advice. Over lunch, Danni listened attentively as Jenny got her up to speed. When Jenny was done, Danni took a deep breath and said, “So, what are you choosing to do about it?” Jenny stopped chewing and thought about how Danni had phrased the question and asked her what she meant. Danni proceeded to explain to Jenny in detail, just how much control she had over her situation. First, she asked Jenny to describe her thoughts about her business and her finances. Jenny told Danni that having her own business had always been a dream of hers, but that she never had enough funds coming in, her client list was pitifully short, and she was rapidly losing hope. Once Danni understood Jenny’s feelings she asked her to describe her ideal situation. As she watched, Jenny’s face became animated, her voice became passionate, and her eyes lit up as she described oodles of serious fun clients, fulfilling projects, and an abundance of funds. When she stopped speaking, Danni asked Jenny to focus on her “success vision”, to choose and embrace it as her reality, to think about it at least three times each day in great deal and to let go of the thoughts that had landed her in her situation. Lastly, Danni suggested that Jenny monitor her progress each day by acknowledging the changes in her circumstances with some form of appreciation. When Jenny did not respond Danni gave her examples of things to appreciate, like a new client, a potential referral, free advertising. Jenny decided that she had nothing to lose, so she decided to give it a try.

About three months later Jenny called Danni and asked her to come over for dinner. When Danni arrived she found a beautiful table set, with a cake that had two words on it - Thank You. Jenny explained that she had spent the past three months showing appreciation for everyone and everything that showed up, but Danni deserved something extra special for helping her turn her life around. Jenny told Danni that her business seemed to take off within two weeks of their conversation. She had new clients, changed her marketing materials, and had even been approved for a loan that she had forgotten that she applied for. Jenny’s business was becoming successful, and she was positive that it was because she stopped playing the martyr and decided to choose to be successful.

Are there things in your life that you would like to release? Or things that you would like to see materialize? Are you ready to make the choice to BE what you want? I’d like you to close your eyes and visualize your dream life. If it’s different from the life you have, then you have a choice to make. Simply, becoming aware of the thoughts that you hold and changing them to appreciation will have a profound affect on your life. Don’t worry about what has already happened, remember, this is the first moment of the rest of your life.

Eva Gregory is the author of The Feel Good Guide to Prosperity. All rights reserved.

• The Art of Achievement


• Goal Setting: No New Years Resolutions


• Goal Setting and Goal Getting: 4 Simple & Powerful Points


• Commit to Win!


• The Long Arm of the Law of Attraction


• The Power of Goal Setting


• Goal Setting and Goal Getting: 3 Traps to Avoid


• Goals: Demanding Perfection or Appreciating Progress


• The Power in Letting Go


• A Goals Program!