Award-winning actor, coach, and writer Benson Simmonds joined me on âTurn the Pageâ to discuss his recently published book, âSOULAR POWER  â Unlocking the Eight Gates to Joy and Abundance,â which reflects his 20 years of study in the dramatic arts, Kabbalah, Eastern Philosophy, and Mysticism. Listen to this episode to access greater meaning, joy, and success in your life.
Benson expanded upon our conversation after the show, by sharing how you can apply the key tactics he offered to the process of making âgoodâ decisions. If youâre generally decisive and find yourself in new waters with an unprecedented anxiety or conflict thatâs causing you to feel âstuck,â this approach will help you to move forward with greater peace of mind. If you frequently  have a hard time making decisions, Bensonâs âten stepsâ will teach you how to choose more quickly, and with greater confidence.
Hereâs what he taught me—in his own words:
Weâve all been there – gripped by fear when needing to make an important decision. Weâre afraid of making the âwrongâ choice, or one that will result in a negative outcome for ourselves or someone else. Whether youâre making business decision, considering whether to leave or stay in a relationship, making choices regarding your health, school, or even what color shoes to buy, the underlying constant is that feeling for fear. When in fear, you are in worrier (ego) mode, as opposed to warrior (soul) mode, that place from which you can tap into the power of your soul. You soul is your untapped brain potential, that part of you that is connected to a divine source of unlimited joy, love and expansion.
What about the old, âmake a list of pros and cons, so you can detach emotionallyâ approach? That strategy removes your emotions instead of inspiring you to use your emotional intelligence, which you actually need to make the best decision.
So what is the key to making a good decision? Shifting out of fear and into love, which is of course an emotional state. Shifting from ego to soul, from worrier to warrior. Here are the 10 simple and profound steps you can take to make your best decision.
STEP ONE
When you are in ego/fear mode the overwhelming message you receive is âlack and limitation.â This message conveys that there is never enough, and that you are not enough. To shift, take a deep breath and say, âI AM ENOUGH. THIS MOMENT IS ENOUGH.â As you do this, youâll immediately begin to slow down the ego/worrier self and connect with your soul. The overriding message of the soul is âYOU ARE ENOUGHâ and âthere is always enough,â so you WONâT be limited or losing out regardless of which decision you make.
STEP TWO
Realize that you can choose to tap into something larger than yourself, your soul. By making this choice and stating out loud, âI CHOOSE TO MAKE THIS A SOULAR POWERED DECISION,â youâll expand past the information thatâs available through your ego/fear. Instead, youâll tap into a power that has a wealth of data beyond the âfactsâ as you see them. Youâll surpass âblack and white thinking,â which limits your choices, to âFULL SPECTRUM THINKING,â which opens you up to new possibilities. Your decision will be informed by the deeper wisdom youâre able to access through this expanded view.
STEP THREE
Ask yourself: âWhat are five to ten things I LOVE about myself?â  Be sure to state your answers out loud and use âI LOVEâ¦â in every sentence. For example, âI LOVE my sense of humor. I LOVE my intelligence. I LOVE that Iâm a survivor. I LOVE that I try to be kind,â etc. By focusing on what you LOVE, youâll shift out of fear and into love (become a LOVE GENERATOR instead of a LOVE SEEKER), which will help you to make the best decision.
STEP FOUR
Convey GRATITUDE STATEMENTS that express thanks for your shift to âwarrior:â âThank you (God, universe, the divine, higher powers, etc.) for the ease with which Iâve released my need to make the right decision.â By repeating this a few times, youâll liberate the pressure your ego/worrier side has placed upon you and begin to feel a newfound ease about the decision. Hereâs another version of a gratitude statement: âThank you God (divine, etc.) for the ease which with Iâve made the right decision.â
STEP FIVE
Envision yourself within the PYRAMID OF PROTECTION: Imagine that youâre sitting or standing inside a four-walled, three-dimensional pyramid. There is a wall slanting up to a point above your head on all four sides of you. The floor is the fifth wall. Divine light from above infuses the walls of the pyramid with unconditional love and joy. Feel yourself and the inside of the pyramid becoming enveloped in divine light. From inside the pyramid say, âI am now connected to and protected by the divine.â
STEP SIX
While in the pyramid of protection, say, âEVERY DECISION I MAKE IS NOW FOR THE SAKE OF THE DIVINE.â By repeating this statement within the pyramid, youâll take even more of the pressure off. You can also say, âEVERYTHING I DO IS NOW FOR THE SAKE OF THE DIVINE.â By doing this, youâll remind yourself, that itâs not about you; itâs about what you can contribute.
STEP SEVEN
When you make a soular powered decision, youâll CHOOSE THE OPTION THAT FEELS THE MOST EXPANSIVE. Simply stated, fear contracts and love expands. When you are afraid, your body pulls inward and in that moment, itâs all about you. When you are feeling love, you naturally expand your arms and want to share, celebrate and contribute. Now, take a moment to reflect on your decision. Which choice feels more expansive to you? The more expansive decision is the best one.
STEP EIGHT
ASKING EXPANSIVE QUESTIONS will help you tap into your soular power and make the best decision. Rather than asking negative questions, like âwhat will happen if I make the wrong decision?,â or âwhy am I a loser?,â ask EMPOWERING questions, like: âHOW CAN I EXPERIENCE MORE JOY WHILE MAKING THIS DECISION?,â and âWHY AM I A WINNER REGARDLESS OF THE DECISION I MAKE?â Your brain is a super computer and it will provide you with an answer to any question you ask. Most of us are unaware of the questions we are asking ourselves subconsciously. By asking yourself specific expansive questions, youâll receive answers that will inspire you to make the best choice.
STEP NINE
BLESS FIVE PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE. Think of the person and say âblessings to your for health, happiness, abundance, etc.â Even if the decision is about leaving a boss or relationship, send that boss or current spouse/lover blessings. This will very quickly shift you out of fear and into love, opening up your divine channel of joy, love and expansion even more.
STEP TEN
When making your decision, eliminate the need to âbe good.â Trying to âbe goodâ can lure you into a decision that is based on self-sacrifice or martyrdom, which your ego convinces you is ânoble.â This leaves you stuck in worrier mode. Instead, SEE GOOD, the good in yourself and that of others. A true soular powered decision is a WIN-WIN for all parties involved.
In applying these 10 steps, youâll make the âbestâ decision and ENJOY the process of choosing. Youâll feel more joyous and loving, which will contribute to even better decisions as you move through your day.
Benson shares blessings for you to âembrace your soular power and open your heart to feel and attract more joy, love and abundance in every moment.â
His book, âSOULAR POWER â Unlocking the Eight Gates of Joy and Abundanceâ is available on Amazon. You can reach him at soularpowerbook@gmail.com if youâd like to find out more about his spiritual and business coaching services.
Whether or not you see yourself as a âspiritualâ person, youâll gain a practical approach to improving results in every aspect of your life by listening to our conversation.
We invite you to âpay it forwardâ and expand your fortune by sharing the link to the episode and blog post with your on and off-line communities.
Editor on 
