A differently focused New Year's Resolution

I want to invite you take a different approach with any resolution you’re planning to make this New Year. Traditionally people make a promise to themselves that they will do a specific activity, like visit the gym 3 times a week. Or they might want to hold back from something, e.g. no alcohol for the first month of the year. That’s an easy to measure goal, but also a little boring. What if there was a more dynamic and fun way of bringing change into your life?

Instead, what if you brought in a theme you wish to develop in many areas of your life?

There's a simple way of doing this. Pick one word that best describes the mental or emotional state you want to see more of in your life. For example, I’ve chosen the word ‘ease’. My dear friend and mastermind buddy, Paul Zelizer has gone for ‘momentum’. We both want to see more of these qualities showing up in our businesses and personal lives.

Then as you move forward into 2011, start looking for the ways you’re finding that specific quality showing up in your daily life. Acknowledge and appreciate it. This will prompt your mind to go searching for more experiences that hold this theme.

There is a part of our brains called the recticular activator that helps us search out pieces of information that are important to our individual values and emotions. This is why sleep-deprived mums will start from a weary sleep as soon as their newborn infant cries, whilst they can easily sleep through TV chatter. The mums are instinctively alert to information that's vital to them. Something similar happens when you buy a new make of car - you start seeing dozens of them them on the road all of a sudden. You can create this phenomenon for anything that is emotionally important to you.

As you celebrate this quality that you want to enrich your life with, you will cultivate more of that type of attitude. The benefit of this theme-based approach is that it will extend into many areas of your life. It then becomes a fun game! Rather than being a regimen you have to use willpower over, you can engage your creative and logical minds at the same time. You'll see better and better results.

Moreover, as you grow into this theme, you’re more likely to continue with it through the year as you'll have fresh new opportunities to interact with it.

Here are some word themes you might like to set as part of your 2011 gameplan:

Hopefulness

Fun

Joy

Freedom

Curiousity

Beauty

Focus

Plenty

Pick one word that makes you feel inspired and bring it into your daily focus - it doesn't have to be from the list above. Within a few days you won't have to remind yourself, it'll feel natural to think from time to time on this theme. Then enjoy the good feelings and experiences that come your way.

Wishing you a 2011 that’s filled with fun growth and much happiness!

Article Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2010