Resolutions Are For Keeping

 

 

Every year at this time people make their New Year resolutions. We want to

finally lose that extra weight, to exercise regularly, start saving money, find that relationship we deserve, get a better job, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

 

If you're like most people, you've made these resolutions. And you had every intention of keeping them until………..that extra piece of cake looked so good and one day off from

exercising seemed okay.

 

So why do we keep making these resolutions when each year we break them? I think a part of us truly does want to keep these goals. We want a better life, a healthier body and a loving partner. The problem that comes up is there may also be a part of us that likes the way things are right now. After all, it's comfortable, easy and a "known" way of being. In order for us to make changes in our lives, a few things have to take place.

 

First: You must really want it!

           

Whatever our resolution, it needs to be something that we want----not what we think we should want. We think we should lose weight and get in shape. We think we should get a better job or maybe "change" our partner. Many of these things we've just accepted as how things should be rather than looking at what we really want.

 

And we just end up "shoulding" all over

ourselves!

 

Whatever resolution you're making, make sure it's yours. Not your best friend's or your partner's or even what your parents would want. What do you want? What would make you happy?

 

You're all you've got. Whatever you do in your life; you're it. So, reach down deep inside without the voices of others, and decide what you want. Maybe you really aren't into getting that perfect body. Maybe for you it's not worth it. Or maybe you're happy with the job you have and the thought of pounding the pavement looking for another one leaves you cold.

 

Maybe you're satisfied with your income and the nonstop commercials and brainwashing of getting more and more don't work for you.

 

So make sure your resolutions have to do with YOUR wants and YOUR needs and that you really want them.

 

Second: The desired result must have a lot of "juice".

 

Your resolution has to have a lot of attraction for you. When you think about it, you need to get excited. The reason behind the desire for the end goal gives you the juice. If you understand why you want something, you will have an easier time of keeping the resolution.

 

Knowing that you want to increase your income because you want to take your family on a Hawaii vacation is a stronger motivator than saying you want a certain amount of money.

 

Wanting to lose weight because you want to be able to keep up with the grand kids and live a long active life will motivate you more than doing it because your wife says you need to lose the love handles.

 

Here again, it comes right back to you and your desires. You aren't going to go the extra mile if you're doing something because someone else said you should and you don't get

excited about it.

 

So, figure out why you want things to change. What will it give or bring you? What

benefits will you receive from keeping your resolutions?

 

 

Third: All aspects of us must be in alignment to going after the resolution.

           

If there is any part of us that does not fully want the resolution we've decided upon, we will unconsciously keep from attaining it.

 

If somewhere inside, you don't believe you can attain your desires or you're worth having them, then there will be conflict in the attempts to reach them. It might also be a case of anxiety about what having it will bring into your life. For instance, your goal may be to make more money. The idea of having to invest and handle large amounts of money could make you uncomfortable.

 

When you think about what you want, do you feel good or do you get that clutching feeling in the pit of your stomach? Anything other than a feeling of well being or excitement is

telling you something is up.

 

How do you go about making sure all these things are in place?

 

The best way is to find an hour or two where you'll be undisturbed. Get a journal or notebook, your favorite pen and any other "stuff" you want around you to feel good about what you're doing.

 

Look at the six different areas of your life: Career, Family, Relationships & Friends, Health & Fitness, Personal Time and Spiritual.

 

You can pick one or work on all six. Decide how you want an area of your life to be and write out your goal. Be specific. If you choose Career and you want to increase sales; write out how many sales you want in a specific period.

 

Now, sit back for a minute and think about what you wrote. How does it make you feel when you think about having it and the process of getting it? If you don't have the positive "juice" on it, it's time to

examine what's going on.

 

Remember, this is for your eyes only so be honest with yourself. Find out if this is what you want. You might need to look at the reasons behind the desired goal. Why do you want it? Is the process to accomplish the goal something you're willing to do? Even excited about doing?

 

You may need to adjust the goal to what you really want, one that has a lot of "juice" and  one where all aspects of yourself really want it.

 

Having done all this and you are satisfied with your resolution, then write it out as if you had already received it. Put it on 3x5 cards where you'll see it. Say it out loud to yourself every day at least three times. Make sure you when you think it or verbalize it that you also feel it as if you had it now.

 

If you want that resolution with "all your heart and soul" and you do the above exercise, I can almost guarantee your attainment of the goal. The key is how much do you want it? Enough to do these things until you get it? If so, it's your's!