by Antonia Anderson

Created on: December 04, 2008

Do you feel frustrated when you hear platitudes like, "listen to yourself," "figure out what you want," and "live life to the fullest"because you don't know HOW to do those things? You long for transformation, but from a practical standpoint, don't know where or how to start. Below are six of my favorite practical tools for transformation. This is by no means a complete toolset, but each and every approach below is tried and tested.

It takes 21 days to develop a habit. I suggest setting a goal of using a tool for 21 days. At the end of that time, if you feel it's not right for you, you'll at least have the satisfaction of knowing you achieved a goal. And don't spread yourself too thin by trying everything at once.

Good luck on your journey!

Barbara Sher's Wishcraft
Sher has written many other books, but Wishcraft is a great one with which to start. Sher also offers seminars and trainings. The purpose of her work is to give people concrete, specific tools with which to figure out WHAT they want (the "wish") and HOW to get it (the "craft"). She doesn't use vague language like "just think positive!" She teaches you exactly how to achieve your goal, no matter how big or little. Think of the one thing you'd like to have in your life and imagine having it. With Wishcraft, you really can!

Dr Burns' Feeling Good
Cognitive therapy is a transformative process which has been proven over and over again. Dr Burns played a seminal role in the development and popularizing of this kind of therapy. It posits that our negative thoughts are responsible for our negative emotions. By identifying and challenging the thoughts in a series of well-explained exercises, you really can feel betteralmost immediately! However, you need to keep doing the exercises on a regular basis to internalize the changes.

Byron Katie's The Work
Truly transformative. If you do one thing on this list, let it be this one. This is cognitive therapy boiled down to four easy questions which you can practice on the bus, at home, with friends or in a formal group setting. The Work will give you long-term results, but it also works its magic in ten or fifteen minutesit's common to feel immediate relief after trying it the first time. It may sound too easy to be true, but you have nothing to lose by trying it for 21 days!

Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones
This book, like the others in this list, MUST be practiced, not just read! It's geared towards those who wish to practice writing, or who are simply in search of self-knowledge. There's no linear structure to follow, but I suggest making doing one exercise a day for 21 days. This is transformation slow but sure.

Julia Cameron's The Artists Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity
A twelve-week program to recover your creativity. Cameron shows you how to overcome blocks such as limiting beliefs, fear, self-sabotage, jealousy, guilt, addictions, and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and productivity. This is a program which can be repeated over and over again, learning something new and going deeper each time.

Bari Tessler-Linden's Conscious Bookkeeping
Financial worries can worm their way into every area in our lives, making us snap at our family, putting a crease between our eyes and sucking our energy away! Conscious Bookkeeping teaches you how to relate to money and bring your values and life intentions in line with your financial reality.

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