It's a Wonderful Life (1946) Welcome to the first movie of the rest of your wonderful life. You can begin this book on any given day of the week or month. I have written it to coincide with the start of the New Year. The beginning of the New Year and birthdays are when most people are excited about life change. I need you excited to read this book for an entire year.

Our first movie, Frank Capra's classic tale of a man who desires a life greater than the one he has, is timeless. Maybe you have already seen this movie. Maybe you have seen most of the movies in this book. However, you have never seen them in the context of using them for life transformation. With that said, watch as a young James Stewart and Donna Reed, span 20 years to give you the best life lesson anyone could ask for to begin the New Year. Your life is perfect and wonderful; you just do not know it yet. As is the case with human behavior one must learn this lesson through experience. It would be great if you just took my word for it, but it never usually works that way.

George Bailey has begrudged his hometown of Bedford Falls for most of his life. George wants to travel the world and explore greater adventures than what awaits him in his father's business. Bailey Buildings and Loan is in the business of preserving the best of the town and the townspeople more than a business of profit. Watch as George learns the hard way, so you hopefully won't have to, that life's true currency exists in how well we treat people and ourselves on the way to getting where we're going. Enjoy the movie.

Take Action Steps: Every time I watch this movie I have tears in my eyes by the end. I am usually overwhelmed with emotions that span from great appreciation to a strong desire to get busy accomplishing things in my life. I am hoping you felt the same way. Your challenge for this week is a series of activities to begin your New Year. You are beginning on my Life Mastery plan, and it requires a few things to go smoothly.

1. Create a sacred space for yourself in your home. This place is to be your sanctuary, where you go to honor yourself and your dreams. It can be a room or a corner. I have a few spaces in my home dedicated to my solitude and peace of mind. My bathroom, meditation & prayer space, or my favorite spot to cuddle up with a book are all my sacred spaces. I am a person who believes in and lives an abundant life. If this is something you aspire to as well then use me as a model. To tap into the abundance of the world you have to have a system for blocking out the noise of the world. Your sacred space, be it a man cave or lady den, will spearhead your new self-value system.

2. Create a name or a theme for your life plan for the year. If you decide to do this program all over again next year, which is awesome and possible, you will create a new name for that new life plan. This is a necessary step in becoming a new creature. Just as the caterpillar becomes the butterfly with new name and all, you must do the same. You do not have to change your name every year; instead change the name of your life plan. My first life plan was entitled "Joe's Coming Out Party." If that makes you think of a cotillion, a quinceanera, or even 'coming out' to the world as a gay person then so be it. I chose this name because I needed to learn to live boldly. I also learned to step into my greatness without asking permission and to put an end to hiding.

I had a party where I introduced my new self to the world and used Diana Ross' song "I'm Coming Out" as my theme music. We are still talking about that party. The next year my title was, 'Not Your Average Joe.' At that time, my intention was to live the life of my dreams and to live it out loud without modesty. Again, a fabulous year filled with travel and events to rival any stable minded celebrity's life.

It may sound corny at first but trust me you will begin to love the name of your new life plan. I believe God will begin to show you these very words in the most peculiar spots. If you see a word or the whole title of your life plan in a magazine do not be surprised. Tear out that page, and know that God has just given you a stamp of approval to live your life as out loud as you desire.

3. As you probably guessed, the next step is to pick theme music for your journey. In the same concept of this book, music can be very inspirational and can support the paradigm shift that is required for life change. Imagine the theme song from Rocky, "Eye of the Tiger" and how you feel when you hear it. You may begin shadowboxing and punching the air as if you are indeed the champ in your life. Well that just sums up transformation, the act or process of transforming somebody or something, according to the Encarta Dictionary. Therefore, you want to pick a great song that takes you there in your mind. R. Kelly has two awesome songs to consider: "The World's Greatest" and "I Believe I can Fly." One song is from the movie Ali about the life of Muhammad Ali and the other is from Space Jam, a kid's movie starring Michael Jordan. If you do not think of these two athletes and think champion then a readjust of perspective is definitely needed. Pick a great song and listen to it on repeat for the rest of the week.

4. The last thing you need to jumpstart this process is a mantra or motto that sums up the best you can hope for your life. Hold this idea in your head, and it will carry you through the rough days that are bound to show up. Like the little engine that could, thinking you can is half the battle won. It can be a quote, a scripture, or it can be both. Take the phrase, write it down, or print it out. Next, I want you to tape it to your computer, bathroom mirror, or maybe your rearview mirror in your car. The purpose of it is to interrupt any stinking...