Your Order to the Universe

Writing those things down can be surprisingly powerful, but not because your words are being transmitted to some giant cosmic computer that will arrange for your wishes to appear. The real value is much closer to home. When you put your thoughts on paper, you are forced to decide what you actually want. That is the purpose of this Order to the Universe.

Think of it as an opportunity to have an honest conversation with yourself. Write down what you would like to change, what you would like to achieve and, perhaps most importantly, what you believe is standing in your way. Don't worry about making the order sound clever or positive. Be honest.

If you want more money, write that down, but then ask yourself why you don't have it now and what you could realistically do to change that. If you want a new career, think about what is stopping you from pursuing it. If you want greater confidence, consider where your lack of confidence comes from and what you have been avoiding because of it. If you want a happier life, ask yourself whether there are things you are continuing to do, accept or believe that are making happiness more difficult.

This is where the "order" becomes useful. Instead of simply writing what you want, write down what you are prepared to do to move towards it. You might discover that your biggest obstacle isn't a lack of opportunity at all. It might be fear of failure, a belief that you're not good enough, a reluctance to change, an old experience that still influences your decisions or a story about yourself that you have repeated for so long that you have mistaken it for the truth.

This is where the Order to the Universe connects with my approach to positive thinking. You are not asking the Universe to fix you. You are giving yourself the opportunity to understand yourself.

Once you have written your order, read it carefully. Look at the things you have asked for and then look at the actions you have identified. Ask yourself whether they are realistic, whether they are within your control and whether there is something you could do today, however small, to move closer to what you want.

You can then keep the order somewhere you will see it, return to it regularly or, if you prefer the symbolism of the original exercise, destroy it when you have finished. Tear it up, burn it, throw it away or simply put it out of sight. But don't destroy the thinking behind it.

The important part isn't whether the Universe receives your order. The important part is that you have finally been honest about what you want and what you are prepared to do about it.

There is no need to spend your life repeatedly asking for the same things while waiting for circumstances to change. There is no need to convince yourself that everything you want is already on its way. Sometimes what you need most isn't another affirmation or another promise that something wonderful is about to happen. Sometimes you need clarity. Sometimes you need courage and sometimes you simply need to take the first step.

How to use your Order

Start by writing down what you genuinely want, rather than what you think you should want. Then write down why it matters to you and what you believe is preventing you from achieving it. Be completely honest, because this isn't an exercise designed to impress anybody else.

Next, identify the things you can control. You cannot control other people's decisions, the economy, your past or everything that happens around you, but you can influence your own choices, your preparation, your behaviour and the actions you take. Finally, write down one thing you can do today.

It might be making a phone call, sending an email, applying for a job, having a difficult conversation, learning something new, asking for help or simply admitting to yourself that something in your life needs to change. That one action is more important than writing a hundred wishes.

Make your order. Write down what you want. Understand what is holding you back. Decide what you can change. Then take action. Because perhaps the most important thing you can send to the Universe isn't a wish at all. It's a decision.