Your Big Leap Year

What if this year you dared to take a giant leap toward your best life? Your Big Leap Year by Gay Hendricks offers a roadmap to uncovering your genius and embracing joy daily.

1. Committing to Your Big Leap

To start a transformative year, you must commit to exploring your unique brilliance. This involves a willingness to expand your potential every day, even if you're initially unsure what that looks like. The first step is to simply make a conscious promise to yourself.

Wonder questions, which always begin with "Hmmm…", are key tools to foster creativity and self-reflection. By asking "Hmmm, what do I love to do most?" or "Hmmm, how can I contribute most meaningfully to the world?" every day, you gradually clarify your life's direction. This commitment to questioning propels you into your genius zone.

This initial commitment requires courage. Fear of failure or self-doubt often surfaces at this stage, but repeated affirmations and wonder questions redirect your focus from limitations to possibilities.

Examples

• Asking "Hmmm, what small step can I take today toward my goals?" opens pathways to daily growth.
• Affirming aloud, "I am committed to discovering my genius," builds a powerful mindset.
• Reflecting on past moments of success helps spark inspiration for future leaps.

2. Understanding Upper Limit Problems

Upper Limit Problems (ULPs) are self-imposed barriers that kick in when you experience success, joy, or love. These subconscious beliefs often trigger self-sabotage, ensuring you stay where you feel "safe."

Perhaps joy feels fleeting, and guilt or fear emerges as you succeed. Realizing these patterns grants the opportunity to explore their roots with compassion. Ask yourself reflective wonder questions like, "Hmmm, how do I undermine my happiness when things go well?"

Unmasking ULPs allows you to dismantle the behaviors they influence, such as procrastination or comparison. Progress begins with observation and kindness rather than criticism.

Examples

• Catch yourself deflecting compliments and try saying, "Thank you, I appreciate that."
• Notice and stop small acts of procrastination like avoiding priority tasks.
• Revisit times when success felt uncomfortable and write about them to uncover recurring patterns.

3. Discovering Your Genius Zone

Life unfolds in four zones: incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius. The genius zone is where your passion and contribution align, creating a state of flow and fulfillment.

Analyzing how much of your daily life is spent in each zone helps you identify time that can be reallocated. Focusing on the genius zone requires shedding tasks in your incompetence or competence zones, even if that means asking for help or outsourcing responsibilities.

For sustained impact, continually engage in activities that you excel in and love. Consistent practice strengthens your ability to operate in this zone long-term.

Examples

• Delegate household chores that drain you to regain creative energy.
• Write down and prioritize tasks where you feel the happiest and most effective.
• Experiment with reducing time spent on activities you dislike and track your increased productivity.

4. Letting Go of Ego

Fear of failure, rooted in the ego, often holds us back from risks that could lead to growth. The ego aims to keep us in our comfort zone, but this limits access to the genius zone.

Recognizing ego-driven fears, like embarrassment or judgment, is crucial. Ask yourself, "Are my fears saving me from danger or preventing my growth?" This awareness enables the shift to a mindset where fear has less power over your choices.

Operating in the genius zone gradually diminishes the importance of ego, allowing authenticity and joy to shine through.

Examples

• Face a fear by taking small, manageable steps outside your comfort zone.
• List and challenge irrational thoughts tied to ego-based worry and reframe them.
• Replace “What if I fail?” with “What if this works out better than I expect?”

5. Confronting Hidden Barriers

Hidden barriers are often tied to the false beliefs we've internalized from childhood experiences. These might include feeling unworthy, fearing success, or worrying about overshadowing others.

Identifying such barriers requires reflection. Questions like "When did I first feel unworthy of love or success?" can shed light on where these fears originated. Journaling about these experiences helps surface the hidden limitations that shape current behaviors.

Addressing hidden barriers transforms the way you see yourself and strengthens your resolve to thrive authentically and unapologetically.

Examples

• Write about early memories linked to feeling “not good enough.”
• Observe your reactions when something goes well and identify patterns of discomfort.
• Affirm, "I am deserving of all the good things in life," daily.

6. Overcoming Resistance to Joy

Feeling good can sometimes be uncomfortable, especially if joy conflicts with negative self-beliefs. Resistance often appears as guilt or unease during happy moments, leading to self-sabotage.

To increase positivity tolerance, practice recalling cherished memories and dwelling on that happiness. Start with 3-5 minutes of focused joy and gradually expand this duration.

This simple practice resets your comfort with joy, creating an inner permission to embrace life’s gifts without guilt or hesitation.

Examples

• Meditate daily on a joyful moment, committing to a few minutes of uninterrupted positivity.
• Notice when guilt arises during happy events and gently shift your focus back to gratitude.
• Practice saying, "I deserve this" when experiencing joy or success.

7. Building Better Relationships

Your relationships heavily influence your ability to thrive in your genius. Positive connections uplift you, while draining ones can pull you out of alignment with your goals.

Identify and prioritize time with people who bring you joy and inspire you. Set boundaries with individuals who drain your energy to safeguard your enthusiasm and creativity.

Practicing open communication and addressing unresolved feelings fosters deeper trust and understanding, creating more uplifting interactions with others.

Examples

• Write down names of individuals who make you feel supported and spend intentional time with them.
• Limit sharing your dreams with those prone to negativity during vulnerable stages of growth.
• Practice speaking up about unresolved feelings in a calm, honest way to build stronger bonds.

8. Creating a New Relationship with Time

Time scarcity often stems from poor prioritization or distractions. To shift your mindset, take ownership of your schedule and avoid placing unnecessary tasks before your commitments to your goals.

Say "no" to distractions or draining obligations and use tools like calendars and reminders to stay in alignment with your vision. Recognize how you can "create time" by focusing on fulfilling activities instead of wasting energy elsewhere.

This reframing transforms time from an obstacle to a trusted partner in your Big Leap Year.

Examples

• Use a daily planner to block time for tasks in your genius zone.
• Turn off notifications while working to enhance focus.
• Practice saying “no” politely yet firmly to commitments unrelated to your goals.

9. Relaxing into Inspired Stillness

Progress isn't just about doing – it's about allowing yourself moments of intentional pause. Taking time daily for inspired relaxation rejuvenates your energy and sparks creativity.

Inspired stillness doesn’t mean being idle; it means giving yourself room for clarity and reflection. Even ten minutes of this practice can help you align more deliberately with your genius goals.

By balancing action with rest, you cultivate resilience and expand your capacity for joy and innovation.

Examples

• Set a timer for 10 minutes daily to sit quietly, observing your thoughts without judgment.
• Schedule regular breaks during work to recharge your body and mind.
• Experiment with activities like yoga or meditation to promote deeper relaxation.

Takeaways

1. Make time daily to reflect on and intentionally move toward operating in your genius zone through question-driven journaling.
2. Address and reframe self-limiting beliefs by recognizing ULPs, embracing joy, and affirming your worth consistently.
3. Prioritize relationships that support your growth, while setting boundaries with those who hinder your energy, to maintain focus on your leap forward.