We must look for ways to be an active force in our own lives. We must take charge of our own destinies, design a life of substance and truly begin to live our dreams. ~Les Brown

The New Year Conundrum

So, here we are — yet again — standing at the precipice of a new year.  As is the common thread of new beginnings — we feel compelled to set admirable goals and intentions for the next 12 months that lie ahead.  Do I hear a sigh of disgruntlement?

I was having an interesting debate about resolutions with a friend of mine recently.  My friend was opposed to them as he felt they didn’t really work and that it’s all a ‘hype’ resulting in a general waste of time and energy.

Yeah, I get that.  We make and break these new years’ resolutions all too quickly which leaves room for doubt and just general disappointment and annoyance with ourselves.

It would appear that we are setting ourselves up for a fall — or are we?

What’s Really Behind a Resolution?

The thought that a spanking clean slate is in the offing is rather enticing — that desire to detox after festive monkeyshines or to join the gym are hardly bad decisions.

However, the pressure to stick to such high expectations can leave us feeling dejected if we nose-dive off the bandwagon.  The thing about setting goals is to make them realistic — not only attainable but manageable.

Bite-Sized Portions, If You Please!

What usually drives the average man is the ability to be able to easily maintain a certain change.

The thought of climbing a high mountain that goes on forever is certainly not as enticing as running up a hill and merrily sliding down on your toboggan several times in one outing.  So why not make goal setting the same?

How to Get Your Life Back on Track

Here are some tips to get you started on a realistic set of resolutions to follow:

1. Draw up a Plan

Get yourself a vision board or a whiteboard — something you will be able to see every day to remind yourself to stay on track.  The best place for this is on your fridge or the back of your bathroom door, where you are guaranteed to visit daily.  If you are compiling a vision board, paste pictures of the end result you would like to achieve so as to motivate you to tow the line.

2. Don’t Overload

The quickest way to fail with setting intentions is to give yourself too many to plausibly handle.  Draw up a list and if there is too much on the list, narrow it down to the top 3 achievable goals for this year.  You can always put the leftovers on next year’s list.

3. Map it with Fun

Get jiggy with it.  Make your new year’s resolutions fun.  If you want to change your eating habits, find a way to make it a stimulating change by jazzing up your menu/grocery list and looking forward to your meals instead of planning a drab repast plan.  If you want to find a new and electrifying job, have fun reinventing yourself and what you stand for — if you want an exciting job, excite yourself first.  Make damn sure you’re as exciting as the job you are after.

4. Feel It to Manifest It

You’ve got to feel what you are trying to embody. Do you want to be lighter?  Feel it within first.  Do you want an inspiring job?  Ignite your sense of self.

Pretend it’s there if you can’t personify it at first.  You’ll begin to rewire your brain to think differently with enough repetition.  And remember Doubt = drought.  Water your seeds and you’ll see the sshotssoon enough.

5. Release the Inner Child

Everyone has an inner child.  There is a part of you that still thinks a butterfly is gobsmackingly awesome, blowing bubbles is a spectacular magic trick and make believe is as good as the real deal. Tap into that part of you when you are trying to visualize your goals.  Your inner tot will help you make believe a whole new world for yourself this year!

A tedious strategy will reap boredom and inaction — an adventurous plan will have you hopping and skipping to where you want to be.

My new years resolution:  I want to see people hopping and skipping in the streets this year!

What is your new years resolution? Share your insights by commenting bellow. And if you’ve enjoyed reading this post, feel free to share it with your loved ones .

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