Making New Year a Resolution Free Zone
photo by Chris JL
Following on from our podcast When New Year Resolutions Make Anxiety Worse, Shann talks about making small steps to change with awareness of the past and a positive but gentle focus on the future...
At this time of year coaches and personal development bloggers have a field day sharing tips and ideas about how to strut your stuff and live your best life. With the new year comes a clean slate. A blank page. The chance to begin again.
If you are wanting to improve the quality of your life, chances are you will begin to make changes in January. With change comes the comfortable pull of ‘the way things have always been’ - the force is strong and can often overpower newly thought out resolutions before they have a chance to germinate.
I choose to live in a resolution free zone.
I prefer to evolve and improve my life with incremental steps toward lasting change. Reflecting on my successes and failures in 2011 helped me outline my personal intentions for the new year. While I have lofty intentions and big dreams, I expect occasional setbacks. I believe you can correct your course of action and begin again at any time. Falling off the wagon does not mean you have failed.
If you are wanting to make some changes, begin by checking in with how you feel about the following areas of your life to be clear about which area needs the most attention.
- Relationships
- Health and Wellness
- Career and Business
- Finances
- Spirituality
When I look at each area of my life I see that improving my health and well being is most important. And while I improved my nutrition in 2011 with whole foods and healthy tonics, I let my active yoga practice and physical activity falter. This is not a new experience. I’ve played tug of war prioritizing regular exercise for many years.
Currently, I am marveling at the increased size of my Buddha belly. When the waistband of my favorite yoga pants began rolling off my waist, it was time to get moving again. Excuses, self-sabotage and getting away from the ritual of moving my body each day lead me here. Can you relate?
Here’s what I know. When I regularly move my body, I am a much happier and healthier version of me. The rituals that lead me back to this place of out-of-shapeness must be changed. I know how great I feel after practicing yoga, taking a brisk walk or going a few rounds with my heavy bag. I plan to get my ass out of my comfy chair more often in 2012. I’ve created a new ritual that will support my success. And when I inevitably fall off the wagon, I will dust myself off and get back on again.
Self Improvement begins with clear and focused action.
- Identify what you wish to change
- Get real about where you are you right now
- Identify where you want to go from here
- Create a new daily ritual to get you from where you are now to where you want to be.
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