Seven Steps to Change Your Life

By Kimberly Fulcher
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The quality of your life is directly related to your
standards. A standard is a personal rule or expectation
about the level of excellence you require in something, and
when you raise your standards you change your life.

In my work as a professional coach, I've found that most
people haven't taken time to define their standards.
Invariably, they've inherited rules from others, leading
them to live their lives using someone else's game plan! If
you'd like to improve the quality of your life, consider
increasing your standards.

Your Model of Interaction

Your Model of Interaction dictates how you engage with
people, and is related to who you believe you are. If you
identify yourself an impatient person, you'll treat others
with impatience. If you identify yourself as kind, you'll
interact with others in a kind manner.

The law of reciprocity dictates that you will receive what
you put out into the world. If you find yourself on the
receiving end of uncooperative, negative behavior, it might
be time to take a look in the mirror. If you already treat
the people in your life with warmth and kindness, then
you're ahead of the game. Take a moment to define standards
for how you'll interact with others.

Your Ability to Keep Your Word

Your personal integrity is related to your ability to do
what you say you'll do. When you make a commitment, then
you fail to follow through, you diminish your credibility
and undermine your self confidence. When you follow through
on your commitments, your credibility and self esteem
increases.

The level of faith you have in your own ability to follow
through on commitments will directly impact the quality of
your life. You'll be much more prepared to take risks when
you have a high level of belief in yourself, and your
willingness to risk is integral to your ability to tap into
your potential.

Before you commit to something, make sure it fits within
the framework of your life. If it doesn't, don't commit. If
you commit, follow through. Set yourself up to win, and
believe in your ability to keep your word.

The White Space in Your Life

White space is an open playing field. It's uncommitted time.
When you define standards to govern how you'll spend your
time, the quality of your life increases exponentially.
When you include a requirement to schedule uncommitted time,
your stress level will decrease exponentially. This supports
you in embracing your responsibilities, rather than
resenting them. Spend a few moments defining a standard to
create white space in your life.

Your Physical Health and Vitality

Do you like the way that you look and feel? Realize that
whatever you might be dissatisfied with is the result of
the behavioral standard you've set for yourself.
If you want to change your appearance or energy level, it's
imperative to define standards of behavior that support your
aspirations. Set some standards that guide how you'll care
for yourself!

Your Financial Position

Your financial reality is directly related to your financial
standards. Wealthy people have a different set of behavioral
standards than people who struggle financially. What
financial realities do you find acceptable? Do you think
it's okay to have credit card debt? Do you require yourself
to save? Have you established spending norms, or a process
to use when making buying decisions? Take a few moments to
define your financial standards.

Your Attitude

Your attitude is your disposition or frame of mind. It's
how you see the world. In order to create the reality of
your dreams, you must believe your dreams are possible. How
are you going to approach your life? Will you allow yourself
to honestly assess your reality? Will you believe you can
impact your life? Will you require yourself to make the
improvements required to develop the life of your dreams?
Set those standards now.

Your Community

Nothing will sabotage your efforts to live a quality life
more conclusively than surrounding yourself with people who
don't support your standards. The most difficult course
you'll navigate as you make life improvements will be
terminating relationships with people who aren't equipped
to grow with you, and reassuring those who are.

Your relationships have the capacity to tear you down or
lift you up. Surrounding yourself with people who share
similar standards is an incredibly powerful way to create a
lifestyle that pulls you toward your highest potential.
Surrounding yourself with people who don't support your
standards will almost surely degenerate the quality of your
life.

Take a moment to consider the key people in your life. Do
they conduct themselves in ways you respect? Do they support
you and celebrate your successes? These are the people you
should treasure and invest in. If they don't, you may want
to reconsider sharing your life with them. What standard
will you hold for the people in your life?

Your standards act as the framework for your life. Increase
your standards, improve your life!

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This material is excerpted from "Life Fitness" written by
Kimberly Fulcher. Copyright 2003. All rights reserved.

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Kimberly Fulcher is a professional coach, author and
speaker, with twelve years of experience in human
development. Her professional experience includes the
co-founding and $ 38 million dollar sale of
SkillsVillage.com, and her leadership of a leading Silicon
Valley consulting firm, where she grew revenues from $3M to
$25M in four short years. Kimberly sits on the board of
directors for The Silicon Valley Coach Federation, and
actively supports non-profit organizations that benefit
underprivileged women and primary education initiatives.
Kimberly offers group and individual coaching programs,
speaks throughout The United States, and will publish her
first book in 2004. Kimberly can be reached via her website
at www.compasslifedesigns.com or by email at
Kimberly_Fulcher@compasslifedesigns.com