3 Simple Steps For A Fresh Start!

A New Year gives us the opportunity for a fresh start. It’s the perfect time to gather our thoughts, reflect and re-prioritize. Take a moment to imagine anything and everything that would make you happy in 2017.  Allow yourself to visualize the result and how you would feel with your success. Hold on to that motivation and use these three simple steps to get you started on a great New Year!

Start by writing down your intentions* or goals. 

Writing forces you to clarify what you want, and can compel you to break a large overwhelming goal into smaller, more easily attainable objectives. State what you want to achieve, not what you want to avoid.  For example: “I am living healthier, feeling stronger and have more energy!”, NOT “I want to lose weight. I cannot have cookies, chips and soda.” Remove all doubts and perceived obstacles from your mind and your written intention. Articulate all the aspects of your vision; later, when you need a motivational boost, return to this writing to inspire you. Written goals are very powerful when done with intent.

Stay positive and focus on gratitude.

Be mindful of negative thoughts and self-doubt. If you struggle with this, find positive affirmations that speak to you and keep them around you. Some people like to wake up to see these, other make them the backdrop on their phone/computer or a post-it on their car’s dashboard.

• My body is healthy; my mind is brilliant; my soul is tranquil.
• I BELIEVE in myself. I CAN do ANYTHING!
• Today, I am brimming with energy and overflowing with joy.

Keep a gratitude journal and write at least one entry every day. Actively practice and share gratitude with others. Say thank you more often, more consciously, and mean it. Staying in the mindset of appreciation will make you happier, more resilient and less stressed.

Be aware of the energy around you. 

People often feel the urge to de-clutter around the New Year to remove negative and stale energy. Clutter is stagnated energy that interferes with the chi (defined as life force or energy) in a home and upsets the balance of harmonious energy. Become aware of your surroundings and how they impact your mood or interfere with your goals. How does it feel when you enter your home? Is it a welcoming space? Can you relax in your bedroom? Can you concentrate in your office? Take note of how each area makes you feel and then resolve to improve those rooms that trouble you.

You can practice these tips to start your New Year, or even use them to start your week. At my best, I do these each day:

• Begin my day with intention
• Appreciate the blessings in my life
• Surround myself with peace and good energy

Wishing you peace, joy, prosperity and good health in the New Year!

*Avoid the word resolution. An intention is an ongoing effort – as is life.