Beyond Resolutions: Declare. Commit. Intend.
What are you waiting for?
Many of my dreams have come through this year and I believe part of the reason is that I am finally in a place where I feel deserving of living my dreams. I recognize, honor and celebrate my dreams come true and I want you to, also!
Perhaps the blessings were present all along for me, for all of us, really, but we must be willing to accept ourselves as worthy of living great lives. We must embrace that we are READY NOW to fully live our greatest potential.
Are you ready?
How will YOU make 2014 your best year ever?It’s not what we do, so much as getting out of our own darn way that allows us to create the change we want to be.Is it really that simple to let go of what holds us back?How do we give it up? We just do it.Here are a couple easy steps to letting things go everyday:
- Acknowledge what is no longer serving you and vow to let it go.
- Make amends with, or say goodbye to those with whom you must in order to move on your own path.
- Change the way you speak. Not I should, have to or need to BUT I would like to, I get to and I want to. The way we speak about what we do affects our experiences and our commitment to sustainable change (i.e. the outcome)!
If all else fails tape a bunch of sticky notes to your mirror or refrigerator to motivate and inspire you. Here are some examples of good mantras that never go out of style:one size fits all.
Live in the Now.Choose Joy.Let Your Light Shine.Enjoy the Journey.Be the Change.Follow Your Bliss.Now for some ACTION!Here is an exercise you can do to jump start a year full of intention and purposeful action:We recently did this in a circle of our Wellfit Women’s Groups in a beautiful Winter Solstice/holiday gathering by the fire. I then did it with some of my private clients. We took some candles outside and sat on the balcony of my office. If you don’t want to burn anything, you can simply shred or tear up the paper.
Doing this with your family or friends is awesome. It’s great to have a witness and an accountability buddy to support you in your intentions.
On a piece of paper write down everything you are ready to give up RIGHT NOW.
Don’t censor!
NOT what you would like to or what you think you should give up or even what you will give up within the next couple months. RIGHT NOW, no bulls***! The list can be short or long, just make sure it’s real and specific.
This is your life. It’s urgent.
NOT I will give up my bad habits, BUT, I will quit smoking for good. I will stop going to happy hour every day after work and I won’t eat ice cream for breakfast. The more specific you are, even if it makes you squirm to say it, the more power it has over you. Now is the time to face what no longer serves you and say goodbye: read your list out loud to yourself in a mirror, or better yet in front of friends/family/therapist/mailman whoever will help hold yourselves accountable.Use these words before you start the list:
I am ready, NOW, to let go of…
Then burn, tear or shred the list.Next: declare out loud with your friend, family member (accountability buddy) or to yourself in the mirror what you commit to for 2014.If you need to write your intentions down, that is fine, but definitely declare them out loud, as well.The wording here:
I commit to…in 2014.
Final step. With an assertive voice and rock star posture, stand up and make a declaration statement of being that you embody in the new year (and beyond)!
I am ___________ (loving, free, happy, inspiring…).
Let it fit and let it stick (even if you don’t completely believe it right now), begin the process of embodying this new way of being by declaring in the affirmative, I am.
This thoughtful, mindful practice allows you to consciously, purposefully and intentionally direct you to a new way of being, not just doing.It is my belief that New Years Day is just as arbitrary as Arbor Day. YOU can start your new year at any moment of any day of the year. Considering there is so much commercial and societal hype around this time of year, I thought I’d join in, but in my personal and professional practice, we check in with our intentions and personal declarations all year long. If they continue to fit and guide us, we empower and re-assert them, if they no longer serve us, we re-commit to new statements of self-determination!ENJOY and please let me know how this works for you!If anyone would like an accountability buddy or someone to declare to via text, Skype, phone or email, PLEASE reach out to me!I just received a text from a friend (and women’s group member) with her 2014 goals.When we support each other in our efforts, we create a powerful, sustainable web of exponential growth!As always, 30 minute consultations are always free to determine if coaching or counseling is right for you! Having the right partner makes all the difference in sustaining the change you want to be.My intentions for 2014:
- To let love and joy be my primary guide.
- To play more and worry less.
- To be a source of inspiration, support and guidance for my clients, friends and family.
- To live honestly.
- To continue to eat a primarily plant-based diet (with occasional flexibility and spontaneity as a guest and during world travel – never know when I might encounter some farm-raised goat cheese or an irresistible insect).
- To be a more present mother and wife.
- To celebrate fitness through fun, active and engaging daily exercise!
What I look forward to in 2014.
- Kicking off a leadership program for girls and taking them to Machu Picchu in May. We begin our 5-month wellness/fitness/adventure program in January. It will be a full-length documentary!
- Kiteboarding in the Cayman Islands in February (and everywhere else I can all year).
- Serving my clients in private practice, groups, workshops, adventures and writing.
- Wellfit Women’s Adventure to Colorado in June and Costa Rica Kiteboard/Yoga/Paddleboard Camp in December.
- Adventure Speaker Series in January with Damien LeRoy and two more following (stay posted).
- Playing tag, twister, hide and seek, longboard skating and being a kid with my kids!