When I was studying acting, I read An Actor Prepares by Constantin Stanislavski. One of his methods to help an actor feel the truth of the circumstances on stage was what he called the “Magic If.” As actors we were given the freedom to ask ourselves, “What would I do if I were in this situation?” We would then build on that to realize the motivations for our character’s actions. It helped us feel the truth in the situation.

IF is a magical word.

IF has possibilities.

IF has choice.

IF leads to understanding.

IF looks to the future.

IF allows you to dream.

IF offers compassion.

WHAT IF you tried this method in your own life?

I want you to imagine your perfect morning. How do you wake up, what do you do? Be specific. I’ll give you my perfect morning as an example:

I wake up. The sun is shining. The birds are singing outside. I’m rested and comfortable. I linger a few minutes and enjoy the peacefulness of morning. I’m wearing my favorite nightgown. It’s soft and pretty. I get out of bed, put on my fluffy clean robe and go into the bathroom. I wash my face with my favorite Chanel face wash, and I brush my teeth. I put on a little moisturizer and go to the kitchen. I drink a cool glass of water while I brew my coffee. I get out my favorite cup and saucer, the one I found in the vintage shop. It has a pretty floral pattern on it. It makes me happy every time I use it. I open the sliding door to my backyard so I can watch the birds and bunnies and chipmunks play while I enjoy my coffee. I think about what I want to do that day. I’ll hop on my adorable pale blue bicycle and ride to the farmer’s market to buy organic vegetables for lunch. I’ll get my exercise while I buy healthy locally grown food. When I get back I’ll write my blog post and prepare for my afternoon coaching call…

You get the point. I want you to do the same. Describe your ideal morning. And then I want you to ask yourself, “What if I actually lived my morning like this?” There is no reason you can’t have your ideal morning. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen. The magical if is in your hands. IF is the tool you can use to shape your morning and your life. IF can give you your destiny.

It’s not just for dreaming. What if you chose to eat healthy food for lunch? What if you signed up for an online course to improve your business skills? What if you spoke to that stranger in line at the store? What if you called your best friend to say hello? What if you bought that fabulous dress in your current size instead of waiting until you lost weight? What if you took a walk around the block? How would you feel? What if you told a different story for your life?

IF is the most powerful word in the English language. And it’s yours to use whenever you want.

IF is your wake-up call.

Tell me your thoughts about “if” in the comments. I can’t wait to hear what you plan to do with it.