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Tuesday 1 January 2013

Making 2013 a Year of Personal Evolution with Your Resolutions

New Year Resolutions have gotten a bad rap over time. Year after year of empty promises to ones self, many people give up and don’t bother even considering the opportunity of a fresh start anymore.
There’s got to be a better way of looking at our future potential and making the most of what lies ahead. You are worthy of becoming the person you are capable of being.
Now is as good a time as any to reflect on who you are, what you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished, and how you want to change for the better.
Becoming more conscious and self-aware, committing to your own improvement and growth and your impact on the world around you is an important part of living a fulfilling life.
Of course you could just lay down and let yourself go with the flow, but chances are, if you’re like most people you’ll just see another year go by before you know it, and much of your potential will pass you by. Is that what you really want for yourself, year after year?
The following are ideas to incorporate into your perspective on living in the new year, intended to help you see the value in setting the stage for a better quality of life. We’ve made it past 2012 already, now we get to move forward to create an all new reality in our lives.

Setting Goals

Setting goals gives you something to look forward to. You don’t have to become overwhelmed with putting high demands on yourself. It’s important to make sure you don’t plan a year of exhaustion or or set yourself up for disappointment if you can’t achieve everything you plan. Yet, at least giving yourself something to work towards will give you a sense of purpose and accomplishment. Think of it as getting yourself in order, and tuning in with your potential and living more on purpose with why you’re here in the first place.
You don’t want to live your life as if the world is on your shoulders, but you can lift your own world to a higher place.
There are lots of ways you can improve your life by making decisions about what you want to be and create for your life.
It’s not so much about What you are doing, it’s about Why you want to do it, and How you do it that makes all the difference.
Asking yourself Why is a great step to self-awareness. It will give you a reason and motivation to transform yourself into a version of you that feels more balanced and in tune with your personal power.
Here are some area’s of focus to consider. When thinking about what goals are right for you, ask yourself further questions, especially Why it would be good for you. Remember that many people avoid resolutions because they are afraid to face themselves. Now it’s time to practice better self-awareness in your life. Why wait?
Each idea presented here gives you the opportunity to reestablish a better relationship with the real you and sometimes ask yourself the deeper questions. It’s all about you getting back in tune with who you are and setting goals for yourself that will help you feel good about your life.

Priorities – Creating New Habits

This year is as good as any to start thinking about what you want in life.  What are your priorities and why?
Priorities can vary greatly and often reflect our values. If you want to live as a more conscious person you have to consider the bigger picture of how your actions influence the world around you. Every action you take, impacts the whole, in a ripple effect.
Be the change you want to see in the world. ~ Gandhi
New habits don’t happen over night. A strict schedule doesn’t work for everyone. Trying to organize your time down to the minute will drive most people crazy and is a sure way to make life seem impossible for a lot of people. Sticking to a schedule is often way too restricting and will set many up to easily fall off the bandwagon. However, the structure of a strict schedule does work for some, but flexibility helps you see the flow of the world and your place in it more realistically.
New habits grow best organically. One step at a time, integrating your new practices into your life will become second nature. To help new, healthy habits form, ensure they are aligned with your values. Choices are easier when they resonate with your values. Make your values your priorities so you have a strong foundation to build from. Repetition is the key of course. Start with your interests, and focus on what inspires you to get you motivated to take action without it seeming like a chore.
You don’t have to exercise every day at 5am. If you set a goal of exercising twice per week to start when you have a window of time, that’s a smaller goal and certainly attainable. It’s about being realistic so you don’t feel like you’ll just fail.
Some will say, “Twice per week for 20 minutes? That’s nothing! What’s the point?”. For some twice per week seems like very little commitment, but for a lot of people that’s as good a place to start as any. Some people haven’t exercised in years. Twice per week can be a great new beginning and isn’t overwhelming. Start with what seems achievable. Self-love means you’re willing to take steps to care for yourself. Imagine if you picked up an instrument for 20 minutes twice a week, rather than once every year… or never.
Make sure you are always guided by a strong foundation of your values, not external expectations or validation. New habits that last always have to start from the core of who we are, not external pressure.
For a lot of people setting goals isn’t just about adding good habits into life, it’s about getting real with yourself and letting go of the habits that you know aren’t serving you well. Acknowledging the things you’ve done that have held you back is a necessary step to opening the door to an all new you. It’s not an easy step, but do you really want to keep repeating yourself year after year? If you have an addiction you’ll have to ask yourself the hard questions, especially the why’s and acknowledging your fears. Getting real, letting go of the guilt and shame, being open to support is a huge part of self transformation.
Joining online communities focused on your particular issue can be empowering. Speaking your truth, and being able to talk to peers, and learn from the experiences of people with the same issues can open you up to great self-awareness.
It’s time to acknowledge reality and move forward towards what you can do and be that is Really fulfilling. If it’s not serving your highest good, know you are worth more. Self-love is a huge part of living a life that is truly successful.
Priorities come down to what comes 1st in your life. Make a list of what’s on the Top of your List as a good start to acknowledging what you really want.

Health and Well Being

Health is probably the most important aspect of our lives. Without it life is not easy. Our health is our relationship with our body and with the world. Every year we climb that ladder from youth to wisdom. Taking care of your temple is a practical and spiritual practice.
Diet
  • How could you make your diet interesting and healthy, without making it a burden?
  • How does what you consume reflect how you appreciate and value your health?
  • Are you aware of where your food comes from and how it is processed? Do you care? Why or why not?
Exercise – A lot of people detest the thought of exercise but your body is your temple and it’s not getting any younger. You have to take care of it to feel good and to enjoy life. Think of ways to make taking care of your body a joy instead of a burden.
  • What does your relationship with your body feel like?
  • How can you get more tuned in to your physical self?
  • What type of exercise would be fun for you? Yoga, bodybuilding, tai chi, skiing…?
  • Which do you prefer and why? How often would you do it?
  • What would that type of exercise do for you?
  • Are you doing it for your well being, or for external validation?
  • How would a new practice affect you physically, emotionally, mentally?
  • Would you practice alone, or find more motivation taking classes with a group?
  • What is the whole lifestyle experience that surrounds that new practice?
  • Does it help you create a whole experience that feels fulfilling and more in tune with the type of lifestyle you envision for yourself?
  • Does it allow you to surround yourself with the type of people that would inspire and motivate you?
Environment
  • What is your relationship to the world?
  • Are you disconnected from nature, or do you live in harmony with the world around you?
  • Do you honor nature or do you use it at your disposal?
  • Do you recycle and find ways to reduce wastefulness? Why or why not?
  • How does your relationship to the natural world reflect who you are, and what your values are?
How can you help yourself feel more alive and present in your physical body allowing you to have a healthy foundation that helps you evolve in other area’s of life?

Getting Organized

Some people who consider themselves to be creative types, have great difficulty with a strict schedule. Organization breaks down the flow. It just doesn’t work for them. Time becomes a burden and conflicts with their natural creative process.
Breaking up your time in terms of activity, rather than squeezing everything into an hourly daytimer may help you accomplished in a more natural way. Instead of putting every task on a schedule determined by a clock, it may make more sense to break your time down into larger chunks. Instead of breaking tasks down into hours or minutes, it may feel easier to break down your tasks in terms of days. Of course we do live in a society where the clock is an important factor in keep us organized, but there is also room for flexibility. Getting up before the dawn helps a lot of people feel accomplished earlier in the day.
Being aware and attentive to your strengths and weaknesses will help you figure out what way to organize your time works for you and which doesn’t. What works for you?

Finances and Career

Living in our society and in the material world it’s difficult to avoid finances and when a New Year arrives we usually look back at what hasn’t worked and what we’d like to achieve. The motivation to start fresh reaches the full spectrum of our lives.
Of course, finances are usually determined by our personal Needs and influenced by our Wants. Living in the material world, the desire for everyday comforts money affords is usually a large factor in determining how we live our lives.
For some though, comfort isn’t enough and it leads to wanting, and in some cases a need, for power. That’s a good reminder to reflect on what your core principles are and your values. If someone feels the Need to have so much power, there’s most likely an emptiness somewhere deep inside that wants to be fulfilled. This is reflected not just in the power hungry, but in the every day person who has an obsession for more, whether it be material goods, fame, recognition. It’s usually because there is something lacking in the core of that individual that they wish would feel fulfilled where having enough for comfort, just isn’t enough.
If you live your life in the constant state of wanting, you’ll never feel fulfilled. However, as humans we have desires. Desire is often touted as a bad thing, but without it there is no motivation. Survival, our most basic instinct, is based on desire. The desire to live.
Money of course, is necessary to live in our modern world. Money is energy, which is why it’s called “currency”. It flows and is restricted according to desires. In this way, money itself is not good or evil, it simply is a presence. How we use it, relate to it, share it, or abuse it, are reflections of our core selves and the core selves of others. How it is used reflects humanity, and consciousness. How you use your money is a vote for what you want in the world. How you make your money is a reflection of your values.
Perhaps you may have a goal of increasing your income. How you do that will be much easier if it is guided by you prioritizing your values. You will seek out opportunities with more interest and more willingness when you are moving towards making yourself feel more complete in a holistic way, honoring your core values.
Maybe you want the little things that will make life seem more comfortable, interesting or fun. a new necklace, a new kitchen, remodel your bathroom, travel, have kids. All these goals are the impetus to get started and ensure you are taking the steps to get there practically and financially.

Ideas for ImprovingYour Quality of Life

Here are some ideas of things that will really make a difference in the quality of life for you and those around you. Why not start making life better for everyone and enjoying the life you live.
Pick a few things, or come up with a few things, that resonate with you. Nobody is perfect, but the important thing is to become conscious of how you’re living your life. It all comes down to self awareness as the foundation to your life experience.
  • Spend more time paying attention to your family appreciating their presence. Call more often.
  • Spend more time outside enjoying fresh air, foliage, sunshine. Tune into the elements.
  • Play with your pets more, be more present in their lives.
  • Respect people’s differences. Seek out unique qualities and enjoy them.
  • Be more creative. Draw, paint, visit the museum.
  • Go to coffee shops and enjoy the atmosphere. Try different flavors.
  • Expose yourself to new ideas in philosophy, science and art.
  • Be open minded and judge others less.
  • Take a course. Brush up on your skills.
  • Start meditating and explore your inner world.
  • Learn new spiritual concepts that will uplift your spirit.
  • Learn about history and culture for a broader understanding of our world.
  • Spend time appreciating your body and mind as the temple it is.
  • Be conscious of how you use words and language.
  • Be kind, compassionate and caring to people in your life.
  • Let go of worrying. Stop complaining. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
  • Be generous. Share love. See the divine spark in the world around you.
  • Bring your inner light with you wherever you go.
  • Become more aware of fragrances and foods you love.
  • Get off the computer more when it’s not productive for you.
  • Live in the real world. Create real relationships.
  • Hug people more often.
  • Be the change you want to see in the world.
What are some ways you can suggest to improve your quality of life? What inspires you? What makes you feel fulfilled? Share your ideas in the comments below.
It’s never to late to start. Now is as good a time as any.
Get motivated. Get inspired. What are you waiting for?

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