When we are happy, healthy, balanced and brimming with life, we are a shining beacon for ourselves and also everyone around us.

However, the fact is that most of us feel dissatisfied or even stuck at one time or another. To an extent this can be called the plight of modern man. Most of us are happy when we are young - we’re excited to be learning and discovering so much, and every day is an adventure. But as we grow older we take on jobs and have commitments to honour. Life gradually becomes more serious, with less time for the spontaneity and creativity which make us feel truly alive, and we can start to feel restricted and disassociated from the free spirit of our youth.

Creating things like a lovely home or a family, taking on a job or a role in the community and filling our lives with lots of activities are all aspects of life which can be enjoyed and celebrated.

But when we feel overwhelmed, off balance, discontent, or a yearning, we do well to be aware of these feelings and to listen to the call for change or adjustment.

From this moment on, you are empowered to make conscious choices which will allow you to live a magnificent and fulfilled life. ‘The Empowered Life’ will take you on a journey of awareness, self-discovery and empowerment in order to achieve this.

The key to this process is to question rather than blindly follow; to be free of judgements and expectations which are not your own; to learn to recognise and free yourself from conditioned limited thinking; to be free from the pressure of doing things just because they are ‘normal’ or because you have been told they are the right things to do. Because when we live from expectation, we create a false image of perfection. And when we try to live up to this, we can’t. We then judge and berate ourselves - and others - for failing.

By becoming aware and by making our own choices, we create a life by design, rather than by default.

So, as we near the close of our module on Becoming Aware, are you willing to make a commitment to living a empowered and magnificent life?

If you are, take a bold step right now. Say the following sentence out loud and mean it:

I, ________, commit to living an empowered and magnificent life, measured by my own chosen standards.

Say it several times, and savour the feeling of genuine commitment.

For these reflection times, allow yourself a few minutes, free from distractions, in peace and quiet. Bring your attention to the following points for reflection and allow your thoughts and ideas to flow freely. There are no right or wrong answers: it's important that you to allow the time and space to tune in to your own internal guidance system and find what's true for you.

This is an important part of the process of change, so have a pen and your journal at the ready to make a note of your answers. You will need to refer to these notes when you get to Module 10.

• What has brought you to The Empowered Life?

• Are you living your life by design, or by default? Do you feel like many of life’s choices have been made consciously or unconsciously?

• Do you feel your life is balanced? Which area needs your attention?

• Do you feel healthy? Happy? Fulfilled? Purposeful? What would you like to change or adjust?

• Is there a specific area of your life which you know you want to change? Do you know how?

• Are you prepared to take steps to create a empowered and magnificent life, measured by your own chosen standards?

To fully benefit from this meditation, you will need 6 minutes in as quiet and calm an environment as possible, with no distractions, where you can listen to the audio with your eyes closed (with headphones ideally). These meditations are designed to guide you into peaceful state, free from your habitual thoughts, so try not to think or analyse.

If you haven't already got your journal, please go and get one and make a note of the things which cropped up for you in your reflection time.

The other action step for this week is to revisit the commitment you made, and to repeat it:

I, ________, commit to living an empowered and magnificent life, measured by my own chosen standards.

You can do this when you’re walking, sitting at work, or waiting for a traffic light to change. Feel free to do it as many times as you like, but be sure to do it at least twice a day.