Ch 12: Give Yourself Permission To Dream Big & Live Life!

Chapter 12 Give Yourself Permission to Dream Big and Live Your Life Dreams are renewable.

No matter what our age or condition,

There are still untapped possibilities within us,

And new beauty waiting to be born.

Dr.

Dale Turner Definition of a Dream It's imperative that you understand what your dreams are before you strategically outline and work towards your goals.

People often restrict themselves when they're asked what their goals are,

As they feel they can only aim for the things that are currently possible or that are deemed rational by society.

Dreaming is a much more creative process than goal-setting.

It enables you to reach beyond what is currently within your grasp and to aspire for more.

In time,

You'll learn how to create a framework of goals and actions that will ultimately support your aspirations.

The word dream has various definitions on dictionary.

Com.

The ones that I see as relevant here are a visionary creation that stems from the imagination,

A strongly desired purpose,

Something that fully satisfies a wish.

I think these definitions are incredibly inspiring,

And I hope they give you permission to come up with fanciful,

Genuine,

Imaginative,

And substantial dreams of your own.

Why is dreaming big so difficult?

Many people don't feel that they're worth the lofty ambitions they sometimes allow themselves to imagine.

Often,

Social pressure,

Fear of appearing selfish and arrogant,

Fear of being disappointed,

Or even fear of being blasphemous can get in the way of leading a fulfilled life.

However,

Learning how to dream big is hugely important.

Expressing and having confidence in yourself can provide you with a colorful vision of a fulfilled and purposeful life.

Not knowing how to dream big is often the single most challenging issues my clients face.

People work with me when they're feeling confused or stuck about work or personal issues.

They know they want to make changes,

But they don't know how.

When I ask them what they like to do for relaxation or distraction or what might make them happy,

They're quite often stumped.

They have a vague idea of what they would like to have.

For many,

That's financial security and success.

But they can't visualize what that looks like.

Issues stemming from our cultural background,

Personal lives,

And family of origin frequently stand in the way of attaining our goals.

There are many cultures in which it is seen as inappropriate to be overly ambitious and in which having a big dream is considered ostentatious.

Perhaps you come from a conservative culture where doing anything out of the norm is frowned upon.

Or maybe the only thing standing in your way is your own trepidation.

Sure,

Dreaming big is easier said than done.

Practically without fail,

I discover that many of my clients find it quite self-indulgent to dream big and often think they're being greedy to ask for too much.

I used to feel that way,

Too.

We often think that since we're seemingly so lucky in life because of everything we have and do,

We have no right to dream for more.

We compare ourselves to others and their misfortunes.

Whilst we should always be grateful for what we do have and be cognizant of others' needs,

This should not preclude us from planning for our future and a good one at that.

If we are in a fortunate position,

We are much more able to help those in more difficult places.

Being of service is one of the greatest gifts we can give others and ourselves,

As long as we don't sacrifice our needs in the process.

Sometimes religious beliefs raise more questions.

I used to think it was very unchristian of me to ask God for anything for myself.

I cannot tell you the number of times I've heard,

Well,

If I verbally express my dreams and desires,

I'll be tempting fate and something bad might happen.

Over time,

Though,

I've realised that we can be comfortable dreaming big when we come from a place of love,

Joy,

Hope,

Compassion and understanding for others and ourselves.

And God just may not mind.

Last,

But certainly not least,

Many don't let themselves dream big because they're understandably afraid of being disappointed.

This is a very common human fear.

The pain of this feeling is really debilitating.

But the truth is that disappointment is a product of our perception of a certain situation.

We can choose to look at an event that didn't go the way we wanted as a failure and disappointment,

Or,

As we've seen,

We can learn from it.

In a situation where you're afraid of not succeeding in your dreams,

It might be useful to assess what would happen if you did dream big.

What would you gain by having a fun dream and taking a few risks to reach it?

What could you lose?

Even if things didn't work out,

Would you have fallen behind your current situation?

More often than not,

You have everything to gain,

And in the worst case,

You'll have had a learning experience.

If you look at any event and explore it from another angle and alter your mindset to that of a more positive one,

I'm pretty sure you will see something good come of it.

You'll also see disappointment magically evaporate.

The Foundations of Dreaming Big People do not decide to become extraordinary.

They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.

Edmund Hillary Experience has shown me that it is much easier to dream big once you believe in yourself and your capabilities,

Take personal responsibility for everything you think,

Feel,

And do,

Identify and understand your values,

Develop a positive mindset,

Face and overcome your debilitating fears,

Experience healthy interactions with others,

And identify and develop relationships with those who support you and with those you can support.

These are the tenets of the Permissioned Journey.

Hopefully by this time you've gained some understanding and mastery of these concepts.

By addressing these,

You've built a foundation on which you can give yourself the space to dream big,

Trust your instincts,

And take a few risks.

As I mentioned at the outset of the book,

I'm not here to suggest you do anything too wild just yet,

But I would like to see you reach the stage at which you can start dreaming about the really big,

Important things you would like to do in your life.

In addition,

Consider what you aspire to contribute to your family,

The community,

And the world at large.

This crucial step of dreaming big can trip people up,

But even if you initially stumble,

The road will eventually become even,

And you'll soon find sure footing.

Part of dreaming big is to continue exploring what feeds your soul,

What you really enjoy doing,

And what fulfills you.

Give yourself permission to walk the walk.

Find like-minded people.

Brainstorm with friends,

Family,

Or co-workers,

And be open to learning from others.

Expand your knowledge on a subject that inspires you by doing research and going to lectures and conferences.

Take the back seat if you're nervous,

But be encouraged by the knowledge that you're working towards getting off that train,

Wherever and whenever you want.

Equally,

You get to map your specific itinerary.

Exercise,

Your big,

Fat,

Hairy dream.

Your big,

Fat,

Hairy dream is a fun coaching exercise,

And I use it with some of my stuck clients.

It's all about opening yourself up to creative and imaginative thought.

The idea is to set aside all your presuppositions,

Assumptions,

And self-imposed limitations,

And to figure out what you really,

Truly want from your life.

All you have to do is sit down and let your imagination run riot.

In your wildest dreams,

If you could live anywhere and do anything,

Where would you be and what would you be doing?

Sometimes when I do this,

I break the dream down into categories,

Such as work,

Family,

Home,

And hobbies.

Whilst on my coaching course,

We had to explore our own big,

Fat,

Hairy dream.

I realized that mine was to own a Titian masterpiece.

Now,

Realistically,

That is probably never going to happen.

For one thing,

Titian didn't create very many paintings,

And they're all in museums or on church walls.

For another,

They're now worth so much that I don't think any individual could ever buy one.

But by setting my sights high,

I was able to see that I really like creative,

Evocative,

And elegant images,

And therefore I knew I wanted more art in my life.

I understood that spending a little money on original art to make my living space more beautiful would be worth the investment.

The big,

Fat,

Hairy dream is a simple exercise,

But it can be very powerful.

I worked with a man whose job took him all over the world,

But whose big,

Fat,

Hairy dream was to own and relax in a large garden.

Exploring this aspiration,

He realized that what he was really expressing was a desire to settle in the beautiful English countryside,

And that he was tired of hopping from one international airport to another.

He didn't leave his job,

But instead worked on establishing a series of goals that would ultimately lead to his return to the UK and would allow him to obtain his ideal country house and desired lifestyle.

He put in place a roadmap for how he was going to advance through his company to a point where they would transfer him back to England.

He also started positioning himself to change companies if all else failed.

The people I meet as a coach often have difficulty giving themselves permission to live the lives they want,

And subsequently also find it hard to dream.

By making the dream a big,

Fat,

Hairy one,

The exercise becomes more like a game,

And it's easier to engage with.

Some people can access their dreams through pictures.

Others like to talk them out,

And some might browse the Internet.

Whatever you do,

Allow your mind to wander and your gut instincts to guide you.

Whose dream is it anyway?

If you don't design your own life plan,

Chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan.

And guess what they've planned for you?

Not much.

Jim Rohn.

Often our dreams aren't what we previously assumed them to be.

Many of us are handed a set of standard dreams on a plate by our families or cultures.

There's nothing wrong with these dreams per se,

But we need to be sure that the dreams we hold are really our own and that they are an authentic expression of what we truly want for ourselves.

If you had asked me in my early 20s if I had wanted to live the sort of settled life my mother imagined for me,

I would have said yes.

And yet,

Even then,

When I envisioned myself in the future,

I always saw a lot of traveling and speaking and meeting all sorts of amazing people,

A lifestyle quite at odds with what she,

And I,

Thought I wanted.

So what about you?

If you could do,

Be,

Or have anything,

What would it be?

Vision boards can be so fun to make,

Useful,

And often very enlightening.

Simply put,

A vision board is a poster-sized collage of images and words that depict the vision you have for your life.

It's not an arts and crafts project.

I encourage many of my clients to use this technique to access the dreams they sometimes find difficult to articulate verbally or in the written word.

The vision board is the end product of an intuitive and creative process that can be enjoyed and referred to when you need focus or encouragement.

I don't think there is a right or wrong way to create a vision board.

It's an individual project,

And you need to find a way of approaching it that works for you.

Here's an example of what works for me.

You can adapt the exercise to match your own needs.

The key to creating a good vision board is to be open to whatever comes up.

Trust your instincts,

Pay attention to the creation process,

And have fun.

And remember to dream big.

Don't limit yourself by thinking too small.

Step 1.

Develop a clear idea of what you want the specific vision board to represent.

For example,

It might represent your dreams about who you want to be,

Where you see yourself living,

What contributions you see yourself making to the world,

Your life or your family's life,

Right down to the dream of writing a book,

Starting a company,

Traveling the world,

Or climbing Mount Everest.

Just by making the board,

Everything that needs to happen for you to make your dreams come true may well reveal itself.

Step 2.

Choose three or four magazines you think are interesting and relevant to your dream.

Don't think too hard.

Just pick the ones that jump out at you.

Even if you don't usually read magazines,

The benefit to using this medium is that there is a random element to it.

Unlike an Internet search,

In which you consciously direct your research,

Choosing an image that catches your eye can throw out all sorts of useful surprises.

The final step in the preparation process is to pick up a colored poster board.

Step 3.

Go through the magazines and freely rip out the pages with images,

Titles and quotes that speak to you or evoke some positive or empowering emotion or feeling.

Keep your focus on your dream.

Again,

Don't think too hard.

Just keep ripping.

You can always sort later.

I suggest doing this in one sitting to get momentum.

You'll know when you have enough material.

Step 4.

Find and add anything imperative to the board that you didn't find in the magazines,

Such as a specific number,

Date or image salient to your dream.

I needed a book outline image for mine.

Step 5.

Cut out everything you found from the ripped pages.

Examine what you chose to see if anything surprises you or if a pattern emerges.

Step 6.

Firmly paste the images onto the board,

Starting with a picture of yourself in the middle.

I sometimes find the larger images can anchor the corners and then smaller images can overlap the larger ones.

It's most beneficial to do this in one sitting,

But take your time.

You'll start to see themes in groupings and you can paste related images together.

Do what makes sense to you.

Step 7.

Admire your work.

Focus on what you really want and gain a general idea of what your actions need to be to make your dreams come true.

Some of the images will evoke a feeling or thought for you,

But may mean something different to others.

Don't worry.

It is your board and you can show it to or hide it from whomever you please.

Vision boards can be useful to help clarify all sorts of issues,

Such as planning for a new year with January or your birthday as your starting point.

They can also be used to articulate visions for a new career or project,

Starting a family,

Joining a new group or whenever you feel the need to clarify or focus on something.

It's not uncommon for someone who has just begun taking responsibility for him or herself to find the experience a lonely one.

We can all be participants in the blame game and to be the sole family or group member to initially wear the mantle of personal responsibility can be quite isolating.

I have seen people whose efforts have been met with outright hostility from onlookers.

The fact is,

The game has been changed on the other people and they were quite happy being in control.

A lot of their initial resistance relates to their inability to understand what's going on with the individual who is changing.

If this happens to you,

It's more important than ever to stay focused on the prize,

Which is real,

Meaningful and long-lasting empowerment and freedom.

Hopefully in time,

Those onlookers might start interacting with you in a more functional manner.

If they see positive change,

Joy and confidence in you,

They just might want some for themselves and start unconsciously mirroring your behavior.

In this process,

You'll find that you start to become a different person,

A more peaceful and connected version of yourself.

You'll attract people who are supportive of you and in whom you bring out the best.

You'll also gain the strength to move away from people who are no longer good for you.

You can embrace your family or cultural traditions that are healthy and supportive,

But you don't have to let them define who you are and everything you do.

Change can be difficult,

But if you power through,

You'll come out the other side stronger.

You might find that you are now the person who attracts positive people and situations.

Take courage from the fact that by having been brave,

Happy and grateful,

And having been on others' dream teams,

You've already started to have an impact on those around you.

Last,

Don't worry,

You don't have to tell anyone about your dreams yet,

Although you're nearly there.

Dreaming big is still the creative time before you make concrete plans,

And this is the quiet side of empowerment.

Imagine your life as an umbrella,

Where the canopy represents your dreams.

The struts,

Spokes and supports are formed by all the permission you've given yourself,

The experience you've gained and the goals and actions you've aimed for.

When the structure of the umbrella is in place,

You can release the mechanism and your dreams will take shape as the umbrella opens.

We generally buy an umbrella because it appeals to us aesthetically,

We like it for some reason.

My favourite one is black on the outside,

But has a multi-coloured lining.

Everyone else sees the black shell,

But I see a rainbow when I look up.

So when we buy that fun umbrella,

We don't even give a thought to the complex mechanism that holds it up.

But without its structure,

The canopy would just be a tangle of material.

It may still be attractive,

But it's ultimately useless as an umbrella.

I think it's motivating to design the fabric first,

So you can visualise your secure shelter and get excited by the process of reaching your goal of creating the perfect umbrella.

You already have the handle and shaft in place having travelled the permission journey.

The struts,

Spokes and supports,

Which consists of actions and goals,

Can be added after you fashion your dreams into the material of the canopy.

So,

It's now time to imprint the fabric of your umbrella with images of your dream.

Moving from Dreaming to Doing Definiteness of purpose is the starting point of all achievement.

W.

Clement Stone Dreams are very important,

But only insofar as they give us the inspiration and focus we need to envision and work towards goals.

They help you give yourself permission to live the life you want and to do the things that make you happy and fulfilled by showing you what the future could look like.

But if we go back and look at Louise Hayes' quote,

Awareness is 50% of growth,

We have to look at what the other 50% looks like.

It is all well and good being self-aware,

But to really grow into the life and person you want to be,

You have to take action.

And that is the other 50%.

This is the stage when you start translating your dreams into realizable goals.

It's easier to move into action when we have specific aims to work towards.

They don't have to be huge dream-like goals,

Though.

They can be little goals at first.

If your goal is to improve your writing skills,

That's not going to happen overnight.

But you can start by aiming to read five of the great classics so that you can gain familiarity with well-written work.

If your dream were to climb a mountain,

What goals would you have to put into place to realize that?

If you currently get out of breath climbing the stairs in your office building,

Your very first goal would be to climb all the stairs without getting puffed.

Now is the time for you to start exploring the many good books and programs out there on goal-setting and action planning.

Attend lectures,

Join groups,

Participate in webinars and online training programs,

Listen to podcasts,

Or do whatever works for you to crystallize your goals and work towards them.

It's often helpful to be accountable to others,

Such as a community group,

A coach,

A colleague,

Or a friend.

Revisit your dream team and identify which members you're accountable to.

Ensure that you continue to give yourself permission to engage in the thoughts,

Behaviors,

And dreams that are authentic to what you want for your life.

A Shortcut The Permission Trifecta We are able to dream big most successfully from our authentic selves.

I believe we can only access our real gut instincts when we come from a place of truly believing in and caring for ourselves.

However,

At first,

We might have to employ a few shortcuts.

The World English Dictionary describes a trifecta as an achievement involving three successful outcomes.

With this in mind,

I propose that you become successful in the following three outcomes.

1.

Actively give yourself permission.

2.

Take personal responsibility for your life.

3.

Believe that you matter.

When all three of the above happen,

You're very much on the way to living the life you want and deserve.

Each of these outcomes relies on the others.

If you're successful in all three,

You have an increased chance of achieving your desired life.

Each concept can be attained independently from the others,

But each is also bolstered by the mastery of the other two.

Figure 12.

1 is a Venn diagram which illustrates this concept.

Sometimes you have to trick yourself into giving yourself permission to do something,

Whether you believe you're worthy or not.

Refer to Figure 12.

2,

Which is described shortly,

For a way to do this.

In so doing,

You take personal responsibility,

And when you've done that,

You then give yourself permission to do supportive things for yourself.

All of this becomes a lot easier if you believe you're worth it.

The three concepts illustrated in Figure 12.

1 take part in a very delicate,

Finely balanced dance.

Sometimes one is a stronger partner than the other.

Sometimes each performs a solo.

But the show is really at its best when all three are on stage,

Dancing with each other in harmonious synchronicity.

I see actively giving yourself permission as akin to forcing yourself to do something.

Here is a way of achieving this.

Figure 12.

2 is a graphic of a filled-out permission slip.

Write a permission slip if you're having difficulty with this concept.

Either mark up a template on your computer or draw or handwrite one.

Make it look like a certificate.

If you make one on your computer,

Leave a blank space to write in what you want to give yourself permission for.

You can print out a stack of blank permission slips and have them on hand and ready to use.

I know this might sound a bit childish at first,

But this is just a trick to get you started exercising the permission-giving muscle.

Don't ask yourself what the world needs.

Ask yourself what makes you come alive,

And then go and do that,

Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.

Howard Thurman When you've identified your goals,

Make sure they're consistent with your dreams by ensuring that they're true to your most fundamental values.

One of my goals has been not to let MS stop me from doing anything.

Things might have to be modified,

But I don't plan on ever giving up entirely.

Whenever I go for a medical check-up,

Which I need to do periodically,

I make a point of wearing really snazzy high heels.

The last thing I want is to feel like a stereotype of the MS patient who has problems with balance and fears falling over.

The shoes represent my values of independence and luxury.

Whilst I have a few balance issues and have been known to sprain both ankles in a single day,

Not because of high heels,

But because I seem to miss a curb here and there,

I hope never to have to wear those beige,

Flat,

Lace-up shoes that people associate with the elderly or infirm.

There are times when I change back into stylish flat shoes outside the doctor's waiting room,

But at least I had my power shoes on at some point.

This might sound trivial,

But for me it's all about taking responsibility for my mood and how I feel about myself and about meeting my goals for freedom,

Strength,

And living in a way that is consistent with my values.

I may look cute,

But I'm also making an effort and not giving in to the disease and symptoms that are expected of an MS patient.

There may be a point in the future when I have to relinquish my heels,

And I will need to find another way to express these values and attain my goals of not allowing MS to change who I fundamentally am.

The truth is that I have had my eye on a really stylish ebony and silver cane,

But I don't need it just yet.

It makes me happy when I see an elderly lady in a bright,

Carefully chosen outfit.

I see her as the vibrant and wise person she is,

Rather than the stereotypical old,

Frail individual who gives the impression of having lost sight of all her hopes and aspirations.

Always stay true to yourself and your values when you work towards your goals and dreams.

Keep checking in with yourself.

Are you on the right path?

When it feels right and you're happy,

Then go for what you want.

Life takes on meaning when you become motivated,

Set goals,

And charge after them in an unstoppable manner.

Less Brown Holding on to your intention throughout both setting goals and taking action is very important.

It's good to know what you want on a macro dream level,

But it's often easier and more manageable to work towards incremental goals.

At first,

I encourage clients to tackle the micro level and practice holding intention for smaller things.

For instance,

Be clear about what your intention is when you have a desired outcome for a particular conversation.

If you're clear on that,

You'll be better able to gauge any and all available opportunities.

They'll make themselves known to you.

Having intention is all about knowing what you want and focusing on it,

And then allowing whatever it is to come to you.

You just have to show up and position yourself in the most advantageous situation.

Seamus A story of intention A client of mine,

Seamus,

Came to see me because he wanted to work on where his career was headed.

I want my employer to give me more money,

He explained.

Together we explored whether more money was really what Seamus wanted,

And he realized that what he was actually so anxious about was his desire for the people he worked with to see and appreciate how valuable he was to the organization.

The money represented this value.

When Seamus felt ready to have a conversation with his employers,

He was confident that not only was he very valuable to the organization,

But also that he was worth a lot more than he was being paid.

He went into the meeting with this intention firmly in mind.

As he was so clear and so full of conviction,

He was in a position to confidently present the salary he desired.

By holding this intention,

And because he truthfully was as valuable as he thought,

He got the pay raise he wanted.

This may not always happen,

But it can if you sweep your side of the street and position yourself in a place where you cannot be denied.

Seamus had worked hard over the years,

And had put himself in a position where he deserved what he was asking for.

So all he had to do was be specific about what he wanted,

And gain the courage to ask for it.

Mind tricks When working on intention,

I often suggest that my clients use mind tricks.

When you're going into a situation that you're unsure of or nervous about,

You can apply a mind trick and draw confidence from your intention.

I've learned that when I focus on positive outcomes and hold the intention for them,

Good things happen much more often.

It's not all about focusing on what I want in the material world,

But on what I want to happen in an experience or occurrence.

Carlos A story,

A mind trick,

An action One of my clients,

Carlos,

Was about to buy a house,

But felt that the seller needed to lower the price by 50,

000 pounds,

80,

000 US dollars,

To reflect remedial work that needed to be carried out.

Yes,

London property prices are very high.

He was anxious about the meeting that had been arranged,

And we discussed it in preparation.

I asked him what his intention for the meeting was.

Well,

To get a lower price,

He said.

Why does the house warrant a lower price,

I asked.

He explained about all the work the house needed,

And how he felt that justified an appropriate price reduction.

OK,

I said.

You know what you want and why.

Exactly what is the intention for this meeting?

He said,

To get the seller to approve a 50,

000 pound reduction on the cost of the property,

Because I'm going to have to spend that much on things that should have already been done.

I asked him,

Are you comfortable that that figure is appropriate?

Yes,

He said.

Right then,

I told him.

So you know what you want to do with this conversation.

Keep that intention at the forefront of your mind.

Your intention is,

I want this person to take off 50,

000 pounds.

Go and look the seller in the eye and think,

I want to pay 50,

000 pounds less.

And actually hold the full price you want to pay in your mind.

Carlos got the discount,

Bought the house,

Did a year's worth of renovation,

And moved in.

When things change,

Progress is impossible without change,

And those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.

George Bernard Shaw As you work towards your goals,

Situations may change.

The important thing here is to keep your intention without becoming inflexible.

Possibly the route to your goal will be slightly different than you imagined,

And that is okay.

Imagine it as shopping for a car.

Sometimes you know exactly what you want,

The make,

The color,

The horsepower,

And you have the money to go out and get it.

But in general,

You do have to do some research,

Look around,

Compare online,

Ask for input from friends,

Read reviews,

And test drive various models beforehand.

You may have thought you knew which car you wanted,

But other factors start to affect your decision.

The headrest in one may have been unbearably uncomfortable,

Changing your decision entirely.

Your goal was to buy a car,

And your action was to do all the research and look for qualities that fit your personal needs.

You now need to give yourself permission to change your mind if you come across a useful,

New,

Game-changing piece of information.

But you should always keep the intention and goal of owning the best car for you in mind.

It's like that chess game.

Life runs well with some strategy.

If you're purposeful in how you move your pieces,

And you have them in the right place at the right time in relation to others,

You will win the game.

You have ultimate control and responsibility over how you react or respond.

You will get the life you want,

But you have to have a strategy first,

And you have to be willing to adjust it if the circumstances change.

Just like when you're in a positive state of mind and you visualize your desires concretely,

You'll be more open to seeing the opportunities available to you.

Bear in mind that intention is an internal,

Private way of articulating goals.

Goals tend to be more external,

Whereas intentions are held in the recesses of your heart and mind.

Give yourself permission to live your life.

You are now at a point where you give yourself permission to have dreams.

You know that there will be challenges,

But that you'll always need to focus wholeheartedly on your intentions.

It takes time to change the fundamental way you think.

Many people have put themselves last for so many years that the changes they need to make can seem very foreign and frankly quite selfish.

So sometimes you have to fake it till you make it,

And force yourself to do something out of the ordinary,

Because it might feel good in the long run.

If nothing else,

You've started laying the foundation for future growth and well-being.

Welcome back.

As you travel towards home in this stage,

You have been able to dream big and have understood the power of intention.

The journey itself is the process.

Everything you have become aware of,

Everything you have learnt,

And everything you have started to implement in your everyday life.

This place may look a little different from when you left,

As you'll see it through new eyes.

Your sense of worth and responsibility will lead to your ability to focus on the positive and change what you no longer choose to tolerate.

Decisions and relationships will come easier once you start living by your values.

Here are a set of questions that allow you to gauge where you are and what you've learnt.

These questions are slightly different from the previous ones,

As they apply to your whole journey.

They're here to elicit major celebration,

And with your newfound dreams and power to live your life,

You're now able to go forth and conquer.

1.

What did you learn for and about yourself as you travelled the entire permission journey?

2.

What tools or realisations are you going to live by from here on out?

3.

What traits,

Behaviours,

Thoughts or memories are you going to leave behind?

So now it's time to go back to the list you made in Chapter 3,

The Permission Journey,

To see if what you wanted to give yourself permission to do is still valid.

Is there anything you want to change?

Is there anything you want to take away or add?

Most importantly,

Though,

Is there anything you've already achieved or are ready to incorporate into your life right now?

Now is the time.

We have only a finite amount of time on Earth,

And every moment counts.