I AM

(c) David Gilks 2011

Can you imagine?

Let me ask you a question, Can you imagine? Can you image what? Everything! A life of balance, vibrant health and authentic relationships. A life of financial freedom, a great sex life and a strong healthy rested body? Can you imagine? Now I didnt ask you what you wanted or what you wished for, I asked, can you imagine? Unfortunately, many in this world of opportunity and endless possibilities cannot. They wish, but cannot imagine. In the dim background of our mind we know what we ought to be doing but somehow we cannot start. Any moment we expect the spell to break, but it does continue, pulse after pulse. This powerful insight to the crippling learned helplessness was made by William James, who wrote about this dilemma during his years as a psychologist and as a philosopher in the late 1800s.

Read it again In the dim background of our mind we know what we ought to be doing but somehow we cannot start. Any moment we expect the spell to break, but it does continue, pulse after pulse. Does this resonate with anybody? Sadly this is the truth for many people today in one or more aspects of our life. In fact, all through history a similar pattern emerges time and time again, humanity loses its focus, loses it values, loses it identity, and loses hope. We look to our religious leaders and politicians, therapist for directions, but they can never do what we only have the power to dodirect our thoughts, control our behaviour, be the authors of our own life story. The power to change our story is called self leadership.

(c) David Gilks 2011

What is self-leadership? Self-leadership has been defined as "the process" of influencing oneself to establish the selfdirection and self-motivation needed to perform. The main frustration for many of is that we often are aware of the things we need to do, should do (bad word should) but as William James stated we simply do not or seemingly cannot. We have reached an internal stalemate. Why do you think this is? We brush our teeth every morning, we get dressed, we go to work, we pay our taxes (or try not to), we perform so many task throughout our life but somehow we fail to organize the full spectrum of our life in a manner that would serve us better. So why do you think that is? Well, the answer will amaze you! First lets categorize some of the main elements of our human experience. Romance, Friends, Family What is our relationship with our spouse? Sexual, emotionally connected with open communication. Have we developed a strong relationship with our children, full of trust and respect? What is our relationship with our close relatives? Is it strained, alienated or close? Do we provide financial security for our family? What makes us happy? What makes us unhappy? With whom are we happiest, where are we happiest? At work, at home, fishing or gardening? If we are not happy now, when did we stop being happy? Do we focus on others happiness but not our own, the martyred life, a chronic people pleaser? Wellness Do we feel well? Are we always over tired? Do we have a positive or negative self image? How do we treat the gift of our life? Do we eat the foods that help sustain life? Do we perform exercises consistently during the week that will stimulate vibrant health and longevity? How are others around us affected by us feeling well, being sick, does it make a difference? Spirituality Do you believe in a higher power? Do you have a philosophical view of the world? Do you have a personal mission statement? Do you have a religious denomination? When is the last time you went to your church? Do you read books with an uplifting message, spiritual or philosophical? Do you have a moral compass? Do your children have one; after all they are exposed to so much negativity within TV, music and their peers?

(c) David Gilks 2011

Career & Education Do you have a passion for what you do? Does your work or career benefit the world around you, if so, how? Does your career allow you to express your talent and skill? Are you balanced between work and home life? Are you a life time learner? Is your present level of education enough to help you fulfill your hopes and dreams? What do you still need to learn to move your life to the next level? Who do you need to ask for help, for advice? Do you know whos skill, attitude or behaviour you need to model to improve your present career?

To get to the life you desire, the life you truly deserve, you need to determine if you are asking the right questions. Are they powerful questions that bring you to contemplating on what a better version of your life would look like, or do you simply sit still and take it on the chin, complaining about the one you presently have? Is your lifes path set in stone? The most important question you need to ask is Do you have different values in the different events of our lives``? Do you have a set life philosophy and rules that you have chosen to act from or do you bend the rules to fit in? Science declares that our internal reality or our internal experiences cannot be accurately labelled or explained with symbols (words). The experiences or thoughts we harbour in our mind can never be accurately represented by words. If, fact, it has been said that we may lack a certain quality of life simply due to a lack of linguistic flexibility and inaccurate map of reality. Lets look at two points here our map of reality and linguistic flexibility Define our map of reality? What is real to you, your point of view? Is it fixed or malleable? We take political stands, moral codes and philosophical stands, based on our version of reality. It has been said that the map is not the territory, meaning the map is the overview of the expanse or region we are considering, and the map can change as we explore deeper into the everchanging landscape of our mind and life experiences. So whatever we project is reality, whatever we think is reality, whatever we believe is reality, it doesnt matter if others believe it or if it serves us or not. Our thoughts, feelings, past experiences and our language all help to define our version of reality. Our emotional evolution creates markers that halt the progress of certain aspects of our personality. Do you know that you could be 100 different versions of you from all different timelines of your past, all being aware of today, all making decisions on your behalf, all causing you to move this way or that way, holding you back or driving you forward? Most of the time we dont even know what
(c) David Gilks 2011

drives us and if you dont know what drives you then youre being chased, by them. And there is a big difference between the two, wouldnt you agree? There are many parts of us from different points of our existence trying to live in this time, this stage of our life, and they dont get along. They have different values; they have different demands, wants and needs. Some of these parts are not married, do not have careers or jobs, are still in school. And they are all living in your head right now! No wonder we feel like we are losing our mind! These are the ghost of our unresolved past! Our own personal Christmas Carol if you will. Science has suggested that we live on three planes of existence the past the present and the future all at the same time. It has been suggested that we can go back in time and change our past which in turn will affect our present and will change how we view and plan our future. And on and on it goes Imagine it, you, living and breathing here today, looking to your past for references to make decision about your future, and your future self is looking to you now in reference to help decision about their future, and so on and so on. (a man painting a picture of man painting a picture of a man) The importance of this concept cannot be stressed enough, the decisions we make on a daily basis has a resounding effect on our present, future and possibly our past. Our future, past and present life, our version of reality is recorded in our minds by our external senses. We process information with our bodies, auditor, kinaesthetic, gustatory, visual and olfactory...That is life. Are you willing to accept that we are totally 100% responsible for everything that has, is and will ever happen to us? If we pay attention, we bear witness to our behaviour, our actions and our thoughts that we will see what needs to be rebuilt, rethought and redesigned. However, we need to start at the beginning, a place to come from and to retreat to if necessary. This is where we decide how we will be when we show up for our life, regardless of what life throws at us. This is the reason for I AM.

(c) David Gilks 2011

The goal is to first create the ideal You in as much detail as possible, selecting personality characteristics that will give you the strength and courage to create a life that is fulfilling and full of love and laughter. We are all capable and deserving of having a wonderful life, the only reason we dont have it is that we simply havent imagined what that life may look like.

YOU
If you couldnt fail, who would you strive to be? What strengths or traits would you bring forth or model that would allow you the strength and courage to be the person you wish to be? Take the time to think of four or five powerful characteristics that will help you achieve your ideal you. ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Please ensure all your statements are presented in the positive and in the present tense. For example, saying I would like to be leaner is less powerful than I am lean and tight, I am wealthy, I am worthy. Even though you may have not experienced your preferred future yet, stating your goals in the present tense gives your brain and body a map on where you wish to go. Make sure to make a copy of your goal statements and place them where they are visible. Another powerful way to present your goal statements is to create a PowerPoint presentation of your goals and import pictures, music and written statements. Spend time watching your goal presentation when you wake up and before you go to bed every day for 90 days so that you impregnate your mind with a sharp, vivid collection of images and sounds that represent your preferred life. It is truly magic!

(c) David Gilks 2011

WELLNESS
What does wellness mean to you? Better health and free from disease? A firmer, sexier body, a body free from aches and pains? Whatever wellness means to you, whatever element of wellness needs to change to make your life more fulfilling, write it down. Once you have completed that, think how the YOU would go about making your wellness goals a reality.

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011

FAMILY
What does family mean to you? Is it your relationships with your brothers and sisters, parents or extended family? What part of what makes up FAMILY could change for the better? Thinking as the new YOU, what would you do to improve the relationships that make up your family and extend family and how would that make your life more fulfilling?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________
(c) David Gilks 2011

CAREER
What does work/career mean to you? Is it finishing your education or upgrading? Are you after a promotion or wish to change careers? Whatever you feel is lacking in this area take the time to realize it and think how the YOU would approach it and make it happen.

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011

FINANCES
The lack of financial security is often the source stress and unhappiness. Though money itself will not make you happy, lack of money can stop you from experiencing life to its fullest. How would being more financially secure make your life better? How would YOU approach the issues of personal wealth?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011

ROMANCE
Romance, love or intimate relationships, when going well make our lives so much more fulfilling. When our intimate relationships are not going well the rest of our life is challenged. How would the YOU go about making your relationships more fulfilling? ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011

SPIRITUALITY
The search for meaning has been a quest for humans since the beginning of time. Spirituality doesnt refer only a quest to know god, but it is a quest to meet and discover your higher self. How would the YOU go about finding your higher self and what values would you find there?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011

EDUCATION Education can mean many things, scholastic endeavours, new skills that would make life easier or more exciting. In life there is always room to learn. What does education mean to you and how would YOU approach education?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011

FRIENDS
Friends can mean many things. The social or peer group you associate has a powerful influence on your life. Does your social circle support your higher self or does it draw you away from more positive experiences? Do you have a strong social network or do you find yourself more isolated? What would YOU do to make this area of your life better?

___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________________

(c) David Gilks 2011