01/07/2010

You were born with potential
You were born with goodness and trust
You were born with ideals and dreams
You were born with greatness
You were born with wings
You were not meant for crawling, so don’t
You have wings
Learn to use them and fly
— Rumi
 
It’s a new year, bright with the promise of new beginnings. If you’re like most, you’re so busy with day-to-day life that you push aside the little nagging voice inside telling you that your life could be better. You vow “I’ll quit smoking, hit the gym, eat a healthier diet.” Maybe you even add that you’ll fall in love, rekindle your passion for music, go back to school or get a job you really like. You promise yourself it will all happen “someday,” but once again you discard your desire for the life you really want.

New Year’s resolutions can be your chance to decide what you want to change about your life and truly change it. During these difficult economic times, it’s important to focus on — and take comfort in — those areas over which you have the control to affect change and independently work on your own happiness. It’s an opportunity to go through thoughtful self-analysis and take an introspective look at your life.

First, let’s look at some of the most common promises people make to themselves every Jan. 1:
 
•    Lose weight
•    Quit addictive habits
•    Change careers
•    Reawaken dormant talents
•    Stick to a budget
•    Improve personal relationships
•    Achieve a long-held dream
    
Once you’ve looked these over, go someplace where you’ll be uninterrupted. Sit quietly, get comfortable, close your eyes, breathe slowly and gently, and let your body completely relax. Let all the tension leave your body. Listen to the inner awareness that will guide you in understanding yourself, your sense of purpose and your true nature. Be receptive to what your wise self really knows deep inside and what it’s trying to communicate about your talents, feelings, needs and desires.

Deeply love yourself, respect your dreams and live your life the way you want to live it. By using your intelligence and creativity, you’ll begin to see an inner picture of the life that will make you happy. Let your imagination flow and see in your mind the end result of your dreams and how that makes you feel.

Now you’re ready to write down your lists of resolutions.

What does your list look like? Growth can be scary and difficult, but it can also be exciting and powerful. What do you most want to change? Allow your heart to dream.

Prioritize what’s most important and make a definite decision on what you are going to change first this year. Review your list of resolutions and then develop a written action plan that spells out step-by-step how to fulfill your goals and commit to them.

Create a resolution calendar marked with clear small achievements to keep you on track and give you the confidence to continue.

Keep your written statement and your planning calendar in a highly visible space to serve as a reminder of the new strategies you’re incorporating into your life.

Schedule dedicated time each week to monitor the results and make adjustments.

Identify a reasonable objective, keep to a steady course and celebrate when you reach each milestone of success. Remember to celebrate your successes by pampering and renewing yourself with recognition, compliments, fun and support.

Start actively harnessing your motivation today and resolve to achieve your resolution one day at a time for one year. In order to be successful you need focus, accountability and persistence.

Resolutions are set in one day, but implemented with 100 tiny steps that happen throughout the whole year. Keep developing a strong-willed inner voice that supports and matches your dreams. Monitor your thinking and make sure it matches with the intention of your resolutions. If you slack off, don’t be critical; just get back to following through on your goals. Respect yourself at all times and never stop dreaming.

In the words of Confucius, “It doesn’t matter how slowly you go, so long as you do not stop.”