Skip the New Year's Resolutions - Try Something Different

New Year’s Resolutions don’t set us up for success. They are all about ‘gonna do’, ‘wanna do’, ‘should do’, ‘if I get around to it’. It’s hard to succeed with this mindset!  

New Year’s Resolutions allow too much scope to give up, to keep putting things off and to make excuses. They are also usually vague. I’m going to lose weight. I’m going to get fit. I’m going to stop smoking. I’m going to have better work-life balance. Sound familiar?

It’s very difficult to manifest what you want if you don’t have clarity around what the change really looks like.

So what’s the alternative?
No doubt there are many. One approach that I really like is New Year’s Manifestations.

Why are they different I hear you ask?

The power of manifestations is that they not only require you to really visualise what you want in your life, but they are phrased in the present. This is powerful! Writing about your life as if the change already exists allows you to be more mentally and emotionally committed. The change isn't something you will do one day, something you are ‘gonna do’.  Mentally, you are already doing it. This also tends to keep things realistic. If you are thinking this sounds a lot like goal setting, that’s because manifestations are effectively the outputs of your goals.

Getting Started
I’d like to share with you a very simple approach that I’ve used for the past 5+ years. When I look back on my manifestations at the end of the year, without fail I have achieved at least 80% of them. This was never true for me with New Year’s Resolutions.

The Process:

1. At the end of the old year (in this case 2015), think about where you are in your life, where you would like to be, what you would like to be doing and what you would like to have in your life by the end of the following year (2016).

2. Try to visualise what your life will look like by the end of the year. You may even like to do this with pictures, drawings or photos, or a combination of images and words.

3. Once you feel clear on what you want, write this down as a number of statements written:

• In the present – Write your manifestations like they have already happened. ‘I am…’  and ‘I have…’ statements work well.
• With positive phrasing - Our brains aren’t wired to effectively process negative statements. Think about it. If someone tells you not to think about a purple elephant, you immediately think about a purple elephant. By writing manifestations in the positive, we create what we do want, not what we don’t want.

           Eg: I weigh (insert kilograms) and I feel fit, healthy and full of energy.

• As specifically as possible - How many days a week are you working? How many times a week are you going for a run? How are you feeling when you are doing these things? What kind of company are you working in, what is your role and what are your relationships like with your colleagues?

          Eg: I am working 4 days per week, earning $(insert amount) per year with colleagues 
          who nurture and support me. There are opportunities for professional development and
          ongoing learning.

• On paper (or on your computer) - Write your manifestations down! This is important. It helps with your commitment and accountability and it gives you something to look back on at the end of the year.

Your thoughts are very powerful, so use them to your advantage!

Remember too that another way we sometimes block our success is that we assume we have to bring about change all on our own. Many of us aren’t great at asking for help. However, I would suggest that seeking support is actually a strength and a sign of courage and commitment.

You may need support to get clarity on what it is you want to manifest, or it might be to work out what’s holding you back, be this unhealthy habits, self-limiting beliefs, your mindset or thought patterns. You may also want someone to help keep you on track, to help you clarify and work to your strengths and values, to motivate you, encourage you to take action and to hold you accountable.

If this is you, you may want to consider life coaching. To find out more, call Laurenne on  0413 776 564 for a confidential chat or to make an appointment and set yourself up for success in 2016!

---