Often in mid-life, we begin to yearn for a more meaningful life.  It is sometimes hard to recognize that only we have the power to change our lives.  That is both empowering and scary, it's often easier to blame external circumstances than look to ourselves.

Debra Bailey, owner of a concierge and time management service called Bailey Solutions, gives us these 10 short but profound suggestions for creating the life we want.

A new year is here again and it is always our chance to start fresh.  Several years ago I learned that life is what you make of it not what life makes of you.  So here are 10 ways that will help you live the life you were meant to live!

1.  You Either Get It Or You Don't
Continually learn all you can about yourself and your world.  Then have the courage to be accountable for your life and honest with yourself, regardless of the consequences.

2.  You Determine Your Own Experience In This World
When you choose the behavior, you create the consequence.  Do not wait for your life to just happen, go out and make it happen.

3.  You Will Only Do What Works For You In This World
With brutal honesty, identify and confront the payoffs you get from your behavior.  Control your payoffs, and you will control your life.

4.  You Cannot Change Or Heal What You Are Unwilling To Acknowledge
Be honest with yourself about your life and everything in it.  Determine what works and does not work for you.  Stop making excuses and start making results.

5.  Life Only Rewards Your Actions, Not Your Intentions
Live your life with bold confidence.  Do not waste time sitting on the bench, get in the game of your life and play it to win.

6.  There Is No Reality, Only Perception
Continually challenge all the belief systems in your world.  Insist your life be lived in truth and only in truth.  Acknowledge your history but don't be controlled by it.

7.  Life Is A Journey, Not A Destination
Your life must be managed and directed by you everyday.  If you do not control and direct your own life, someone or something else will.  Remember, whether the ride of your life is long or short, you and only you choose the driver every single day.

8.  You Teach Others How To Treat You
Embrace this truth literally.  Live your life worthy of dignity and respect and then accept nothing less from yourself or from any other.  Rather than complain about how people treat you take responsibility for how you teach them you are to be treated.

9.  There is power in forgiveness
You are a prisoner and a slave to the anger, guilt and resentment you hold in your heart.  Remember, freedom is your choice.  Choose freedom and create the quality of life you deserve.

10.  You Must First Name What You Want In Order To Claim What You Want
Never stop asking yourself what you need to expand your life and make your dreams come true.  The responsibility for your happiness is yours.  Remember, the unlimited personal power for your passion and happiness is already inside you but only if you have the courage to name it and claim it.

Bailey Solutions , founded and owned by Debra Bailey, provides personal concierge and time management solutions for busy individuals and professionals in the Austin area.  Debra spent 12 years in the hotel industry before starting Bailey Solutions and through her career won almost every prestigious award given by Marriott from Manager Of The Year as an Operations Manager to Hotel Of The Year as a General Manager.  She is adept in problem solving and has become proficient in time management, organization, goal setting, mentoring, coaching, event planning and event management.  Debra understands what its like to lead a busy lifestyle by balancing running a small business with leading and participating in any number of community service roles.