Week 11 - The Experiment: Discovering what you already know

Dear Friends,

You could be a winner! We’re giving away a pair of tickets to the “Celebrate Your Life” conference in Chicago, IL where I’ll be speaking about “The Art of Extreme Self Care.” The two tickets, valued at $650.00, give you and a friend access to this event featuring authors like James van Praagh, Debbie Ford, Deepak Chopra, Gregg Braden, and more. So, if you live in the Chicago area (or plan to be visiting there the weekend of 5/30-6/1), reply to this email with your name and phone number and we’ll scroll for a winner! Your email must be received by March 21. Please note that these tickets are for the main conference only and do not include pre- or post-workshops, airfare, accommodations, or lunch. For more info visit here.

Whether you’re looking for a gift of self-care for you, a gift of inspiration for someone you love, or a practical strategy for living a better life, you’re sure to find something in our online store here.

Have a great week…

Love,

Cheryl

p.s. – Need a little Divine Direction? Use the “Touch of Grace” button on our homepage here: http://www.cherylrichardson.com.

“Listening to your heart is not simple. Finding out who you are is not simple. It takes a lot of hard work and courage to get to know who you are and what you want.”

–Sue Bender

Topic of the Week – The Experiment

I wrote this newsletter in 2004 while working on The Unmistakable Touch of Grace. Several readers have written since, suggesting that I send it again because the experiment was so helpful. The newsletter is in two parts — one that will run this week, and one that will run at the end of the year. You’ll see why. Read on…

While doing research for my next book I found several exercises in an old journal that I used to help me explore my life’s purpose. I was shocked to find that 80% of my answers were directly related to what I do today. At the time that I completed these exercises I was twenty-five years old and struggling to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. As I read through the entries it was obvious that, in retrospect, I knew more about myself and what I was meant to do than I realized at the time.

There’s something about keeping a journal or writing private thoughts in a notebook that activates our inner wisdom. While your entries might seem like random thoughts or ideas, often they contain vital information about who you are and what you’ve come here to do. This week I thought we’d try an experiment. Below are some exercises for you to complete in a journal or notebook. Once you’ve finished them, I want you to tuck this information away until the end of the year. In December, I’ll ask you to retrieve it again in order to complete part 2 of the experiment.

Think of this assignment as a special gift to yourself. Taking the time out of your busy life to reflect on who you are and what you want, is one of the key ways that we influence the direction of our lives. To make it easier, break the exercise into five parts and complete one part a day over the next week. Work on it during your lunch hour or while the kids are at school. When we get to part 2 in December, you’ll be glad you made the investment in yourself.

Once you complete these exercises follow the “Take Action Challenge” below to complete part 1 of the experiment.

1. Finish the following sentence stems with at least ten answers for each one:

I am

I will not

I would like

I will

I love

I hate

2. What advice would you give yourself at this time in your life? (fill at least one page)

3. Imagine you were interviewing *you* and answer the following questions:

~*~ What three major choices brought you to this point in your life?

~*~ Looking back, what three things do you wish you had tried?

~*~ If you had to choose an object that represented your future, what would it be?

~*~ If you had to choose an object that represented your past, what would it be?

~*~ What tasks or assignments would you say you’ve been given in your life so far?

4. Complete the following four exercises:

~*~ List three internal changes you’ll need to make to live a more meaningful life.

~*~ List three external changes you’ll need to make to live a more meaningful life.

~*~ List three positive qualities that you feel proud of possessing.

~*~ List three qualities that you’d like to develop.

5. If you could try five new jobs over the next year what would they be?

Great job, now read on…

~*~ Take Action Challenge ~*~

Once you’ve finished the exercises above, put the answers somewhere out of sight for safe keeping. Turn to December 1st in this year’s calendar and make a note of where you’ve hidden this information. Then, forget about it. I’ll be sure to remind you to find it when we use your answers for part 2 of the experiment at the end of the year.

In the News

There are still some spaces left in “The Writer’s Workshop” Mexican Riviera cruise. If you are an earnest writer who’s committed to getting your message out into the world you’ll want to check out this important opportunity to learn the ins and outs of getting published. Along with a comprehensive program, you’ll be invited to attend a special event with Reid Tracy, president and publisher of Hay House, who will answer questions about what they look for in a successful author. For more info click here.

Would you like a little laser coaching from Cheryl? Call in during her live Internet radio show, Coach on Call, on Mondays at 5pm ET (2pm PT, 10pm GMT) at www.hayhouseradio.com. Simply dial (866) 254-1579 if you live in the US, or for international callers dial, 1-760-918-4300 after your country code. Cheryl discusses a variety of topics related to practicing Extreme Self Care and living a high quality life.

We have a variety of unique life-changing gifts in our webstore at www.myextremeselfcare.com. You can have books personally signed for you or a loved one with a note of encouragement or support, include a hand-written gift card with your order, or find a special item to support your own self-care. There are heart ornaments, books, audio programs, lotions, and our popular Mesmerizing Oggz Egg (you need to see it to understand :). Check them out here: www.myextremeselfcare.com.

Listen to the free Practice Building Workshop telegathering on audio podium and learn to build your client base in a relaxed and authentic way. Whether you’re a coach, therapist, lawyer, massage therapist, or other service oriented business owner, you can learn about our program and the important steps for practice development by calling (405) 244-4000 – Box 104. For more info on our PBW audio program, click here.

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Week 11 – The Experiment: Discovering what you already know

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