There are two ways to live: By Default or by Design.

Living by Default looks like waking up and reacting to the happenings of the day. Reacting to the weather, your spouse/kids, the emails in your inbox, etc. It can feel generally disempowering and upsetting with all the ways that life is disappointing you. There isn’t much intentionality or forward thinking about how you want to experience life and how you want to show up. Living by default means your values are hazy. Life feels as though it happens to you and you have no say.

Living by Design, on the other hand, is an amazing existence. No mater what happens in a day, you feel empowered and equipped to take it on and work with it (even the worst of circumstances). You feel a general sense of inner peace, excitement, and joy. Designing a life you love requires work, though. It requires slowing down, exploring what matters to you and what feels good, looking how you get in your own way, and choosing how you want to take action forward. The result is that you feel a sense of wholeness — and an ability to take on anything Life brings to you.

We all spend time in one camp or another - sometimes in Default and sometimes in Design.

As you reflect, which one do you tend to live in most?

One of my favorite spiritual mentors sent out a newsletter this week with a quote I am inspired to share. It reads:

“You can change your future NOW - make it better than it was going to be - by showing up today even more as the person you really want to be.” - Dr. Robert Holden

My work is entirely dedicated to supporting people in Designing a life they love, which includes their work, their relationships, their money, their home, etc. I talk with people all day every day about who they want to be, how they relate to life, and what’s in the way of their fulfillment, joy, and peace.

In living life by Design, choosing how you show up for your life is the key.

And living by Design doesn’t actually require much time to gain momentum. Just because you’ve spent 20, 30, 40, or 50 years living mostly in Default doesn’t mean you have to spend that same amount of time in Design to see the results.

No. In fact, the results of living by Design are exponential, and the results can occur even instantaneously.

REAL EXAMPLES
This theme of life by Design and this quote above got me thinking about the countless ways I’ve seen people create tremendous results in a very short amount of time. For the sake of this post, I considered what I have seen and helped my clients and others create within 6 weeks. (In keeping names anonymous, I am using their chosen pronouns.)

- In just 6 weeks, she created an entire workshop and 6-month group. Women are already enrolling.

- In just 6 weeks, he created his *whole* annual financial goal.

- In just 6 weeks, she met her dream romantic partner. They just moved in together.

- In just 6 weeks, she let go of 25% of her clients, increased her fees, and decreased her work hours by half.

- In just 6 weeks, they set up and launched his own podcast on innovation and kindness. Without any advertising, he received subscribers and support in droves.

- In just 6 weeks, they created the entire layout and summary of her book.

Are you down for an experiment in living by Design and seeing what's possible in just 6 weeks?

If yes, because you are part of my community here on LoveBombs, I’m sharing a process I created last week for one of my female entrepreneur groups. It breaks down the phases to explore and consider before taking action, and it offers a comprehensive understanding of where the "Design" work is for you and your life.

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Exercise: Vision, Obstacles, Action

Instructions: Take at least one hour to be with the work below, and then commit to taking the next 6 weeks in implementing what your vision is. If you don't work with a coach or a therapist or a mentor, consider enlisting someone in your life that you trust to be an accountability person for you.

PART ONE: VISION

What do you want to see occur in your business before the end of the year? List everything you can think of! Doesn’t matter how big or small.

If your vision came true 100%, how would things be different?

How do you most want to feel?

PART TWO: OBSTACLES

What’s in the way of your vision right now?

Are there any judgements you have about your vision? (Ex: it’s too hard, will take too long, it’s too big/unreasonable...)

What do you need to let go of to make my vision a reality?

What do you need to take on/implement to make your vision a reality?

PART THREE: ACTION

How will I know my vision was accomplished? What will the evidence be?

What kind of specific support do I want/need from here? Internally and externally?

Accountability - what type and how often?

What steps do you need to take now to get started?

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