MY PRICKLY RELATIONSHIP TO NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS…

I hate New Year’s Resolutions.  Here’s the scenario…I set a resolution and I absolutely blow it, and I feel like a loser.  Or I set a resolution and I realize that I need to tweak it in order to make it doable and I feel like a loser.  Or I set a resolution and I hit it and then I feel like I set the bar too low, and I feel like a loser.  FUN!  Woo hoo, l can’t wait to do this another year, NOT!!  

So here is what I do now.  Feel free to copy, borrow or steal any of this!  First I create my INTENTIONS for the year. Go to a quiet place, light a candle, cuddle up in your favorite chair with a lovely cup of tea, a journal and a pen. Close your eyes.  Breathe.  If you are a meditator, spend five or so minutes meditating.  Now think about how you want to feel in 2016.  HOW DO YOU WANT TO FEEL.  Underneath EVERY goal, desire, want, is a feeling.  What are the feelings that you want to generate this year?

How about some ideas: 
Happy, free, motivated, inspired, secure, energized, valuable, abundant, present, competent, fulfilled, clear, strong, alive, purposeful, pumped, alive, balanced, unstuck, fearless, happy, challenged, healthy, appreciated, loved, passionate, content, radiant, fired up, vibrant, calm, safe, nourished, limitless, delighted, empowered, calm, certainty, daring, courageous, enthused, focused, fresh, guided, harmonious, held, hope, liberated.  Pick just 3-5 feelings that resonate with you.  Write those down.

Now, what are you most excited about for 2016?  What lights you up? Out of your various intentions or goals, what are you most enthusiastic about?  Does it thrill you and scare you at the same time?  How about looking into the different areas of your life and picking a significant goal. Significant intentions and goals take time to achieve, and a year flies by, so you have to FOCUS! The momentum and satisfaction you’ll gain from pulling off just a few amazing endeavors will far outweigh anything you could gain from doing a bunch of things halfway. Set out to do four or five things this year with GUSTO and EXCELLENCE rather than doing a dozen things just sufficiently!  You might want to look at the following areas:

1. Livelihood
2. Body and wellness
3. Learning/creativity/personal development
4. Relationships
5. Spirituality 

Create one intention in each area that you are JAZZED about.  If you close your eyes and imagine these intentions coming to fruition in 2016, how do you FEEL?  Do those feelings correlate with your core desired feelings that you chose earlier?  I bet they do! 

Now you will want to do a monthly check-in and a weekly action list.  What do you need to do each month and then each week to move you closer to your 3-5 intentions for the year?  Put this in your journal or your calendar:   
MONTH:  January
CORE DESIRED FEELINGS FOR THE YEAR: 
MY INTENTIONS AND GOALS FOR THIS MONTH: 
WHAT I WILL DO TO GENERATE EACH AREA:

1. Livelihood
2. Body and wellness
3. Learning/creativity/personal development
4. Relationships
5. Spirituality

Isn’t this more inspiring and fun than a resolution??!!  An aspiration or intention is long-term whereas a resolution is more short term, and to me, has a connotation around NOT doing something.  An intention forms the basis for a complete life path, not just a fad or impulsive decision.  Research (and let’s face it, personal experience) shows that we will be far more likely to succeed by taking something up, not giving something up. So make a date with yourself, your favorite tea, journal and pen, and aspire away!  You CAN create the life you love, one desired feeling at a time!  Happy 2016!MY PRICKLY RELATIONSHIP TO NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS…