BY CHELSEA ROSTILL 

WE ALL want to live a life we love. Why then do so few people
get to experience just that?

Sometimes the changes we would need to make to have that life
seem so great that even thinking about them overwhelms us. We
can become frozen with over-analysis and fear of making the
changes.

The secret to changing your life is to start taking "baby
steps." Start by taking the actions that you feel excited about
and are easy to take.

The great truth is that "one thing leads to another." When you
start to improve just one small detail of your life, the next
will be easier.

Here are 10 great places to start:

Attitude: You get to choose your attitude every day. Your
attitude is a manifestation of how you think. Choose to take
actions that keep you thinking positively.

For example, read positive literature; make a CD of songs that
"pump" you up; listen to uplifting music on the drive to work.

Associates: Who do you spend your time with? Are they people who
you feel great to be around? You can tell if your associates are
positive to be around. If you feel drained of energy after
spending time with certain people, it's time to ask yourself
"what are you getting out of the relationships?"

Spare time: How do you spend it? Does it enrich you or numb you?
When did you last do something just because doing it made you
feel joyous, proud, excited, and just plain good?

Make a list of all the activities you love to do in your spare
time and stick it on the fridge. The next time you have some
spare time, walk past the TV and check your list.

Work: Are you proud of what you do? Do you enjoy it? Or do you
dread going to work and spend the weekdays counting the time to
the next weekend?

If you aren't happy, take responsibility and start the process
of making the transition. Research new job opportunities; see a
career counsellor; attend professional development courses.

Surroundings: Do your surroundings make you smile when you walk
into a room? Do they reflect how good you feel about yourself?
Have you added flowers, frills, colours, or whatever lifts your
spirit when you look at it?

Or are you surrounded by piles and stacks of stuff just waiting
to be sorted, folded or put away? How much energy does just
thinking about this stuff take from you every day?

Write a to-do list of all the things you would like to change
about your environment.

Choose to tick off one item per week. You will be amazed at how
fast you change your environment for the better, and increase
your natural energy.

Eating habits: Do you use food to contribute to your health and
well-being or to numb yourself? Forget about fad diets. A good
place to start with eating habits is being honest with yourself.
Keep a food diary for one week to observe exactly what you eat.
Then decide what areas you can realistically cut back on.

Exercise: Do you spend more time looking after your hair,
clothes and car than your body? Does the idea of going to the
gym fill you with dread?

Start by making a list of activities that you love to do, such
as play golf, walk the dog, body surf, rollerblading, and
dancing.

Make exercise fun rather than a routine. This could even mean
making sure you hit the dance floor when you are out on a
Saturday night.

Consumption: Do you spend more than you earn? Are you in debt?
Make a commitment to pay all your debts today. Take it one bill
at a time.

For example, if you have three credit card bills, commit to
paying one in full and then cut up the card, and keep going till
you have only one credit card.

Use cash as much as possible. You will be amazed how quickly
that sense of quiet anxiety will disappear when you know your
expenses are under control.

Your appearance: Do you love how you look? You don't have to
look like a top model to feel good about your appearance. Do you
like your hairstyle? If not, change it.

Do you have clothes in your wardrobe that don't fit or make you
feel frumpy? Throw them away or give them to charity and repair
items that need fixing.

Organise yourself so that everything you wear is in good
condition and will make you feel great.

You as a person: What do you like or don't like about yourself?
The secret is: to like who you are more, you need to become more
of you are.

Many people are busy trying to be who others think they should
be. You can tell if you are in this trap when you hear to
yourself saying "I should do this or be this."

Be more of who you are by appreciating your unique strengths and
listening to your heart. Ask yourself, "what is it I really
want?"

The answer that comes from your gut, rather than your head, will
be a good guide in helping you create a life you love.

Chelsea Rostill, Corporate Coach, Third Wave, will be in Kuala
Lumpur to conduct a programme on Selling Successfully to Senior
Management for MIM in May 2004. For more details, call MIM
Customer Service at 03-21654611, e-mail enquiries@mim.edu or
visit www.mim.edu