Top tips for Making and Achieving Goals in 2012

Want to make changes in the coming year? Your not alone, each year 40% - 45% of adults make one or more resolution or goal for themselves. Some research suggests that 75% make it past the first week, and 46% make it past 6 months. Okay so alot of us break our resolutions, but statistics on New Year's resolutions show that setting goals for yourself is still a good idea because you are 10 times more likely to attain your goal, rather than people who don't explicitly make goals.

8 Top Tips for NY Resolutions:

1. Write down your goals - this helps you get clear about what you want.
2. Be as detailed as possible with the resolution you make, rather than just a vague statement like "I want to lose weight", be specific and say exactly how much by when.
3. Writing your goal as though it has already been achieved is a porwerful way to trick your mind into acting accordingly.
4. Make sure your goals excite you - this may sound obvious, but if you are not motivated and excited by your goals you are very unlikely to achieve them.
5. Put a plan in place once you have written down your resolutions about how you are going to achieve them. Be specific..
6. Commit to mini goals along the way to celebrate your progress.
7. Don't become overwhelmed or use your goals as another way to undermine your self esteem if you don't reach them. Be kind yo yourself and make small changes that are sustainable.
8. Be clear about who you are making your NY Resolutions for and make them for you and not for the approval of others.

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day." - Edith Lovejoy Pierce

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY CLIENTS AND FRIENDS

Stay tuned for my 40 Day program which will help you stay on track with those resolutions!

Make Your Mark in 2011 - 8 Top Tips

Want to make changes in the coming year? Your not alone, each year 40% - 45% of adults make one or more resolution or goal for themselves. Some research suggests that 75% make it past the first week, and 46% make it past 6 months. Okay so alot of us break our resolutions, but statistics on New Year's resolutions show that setting goals for yourself is still a good idea because you are 10 times more likely to attain your goal, rather than people who don't explicitly make goals.

Top Tips for NY Resolutions:

1. Write down your goals - this helps you get clear about what you want.
2. Be as detailed as possible with the resolution you make, rather than just a vague statement like "I want to lose weight", be specific and say exactly how much by when.
3. Writing your goal as though it has already been achieved is a porwerful way to trick your mind into acting accordingly.
4. Make sure your goals excite you - this may sound obvious, but if you are not motivated and excited by your goals you are very unlikely to achieve them.
5. Put a plan in place once you have written down your resolutions about how you are going to achieve them.
6. Commit to mini goals along the way to celebrate your progress.
7. Don't become overwhelmed or use your goals as another way to undermine your self esteem if you don't reach them. Be kind yo yourself and make small changes that are sustainable.
8. Be clear about who you are making your NY Resolutions for and make them for you and not for the approval of others.

"We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day."   - Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Go for it and on a slightly funny note, take heed from the words of Bridget Jones and start your resolution on the 2nd of January!:

"I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second."

- Helen Fielding, "Bridget Jones's Diary"

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL MY CLIENTS AND FRIENDS

A Quick Read About Feeling & Being Happier

10 Steps Toward Feeling Happier


An interesting article by psychotherapist Linda Laffey

1. Make the decision to be happy

Life will continue to challenge all of us with its bumps in the road some big, some small. It is your attitude and how you choose to negotiate those bumps that determine how you feel. Adopting an attitude of appreciation for everything you have, and recognizing that you always have a choice about how to respond to external circumstances can contribute significantly to feeling happier.

2. Cultivate a sense of connection

Examine the relationships in your life? at home, at work, and socially. Do you feel connected to the people in your life in a healthy and satisfying way? Do you feel connected to yourself? Through reading, taking a class, meditation, spiritual exploration, therapy, and communicating with others, you can deepen your sense of connection and well-being.


3. Focus on forgiveness of yourself and others
This can be very challenging at times; especially when you feel someone has done something that seems unforgivable. The forgiveness, however, is for you, not for them. It frees your mental and emotional energy to blissfully go forward in your life. There is a saying: 'Holding onto resentment is like letting someone else live rent-free in your head.'

4. Set short-term and long-term goals for making your dreams a reality

Goal-setting gives you something to look forward to, something to work toward, and creates structure in your day-to-day life. As each step along the way is completed, you experience a sense of pride and accomplishment.


5. Find fulfilling work
Having an occupation that you enjoy and has meaning for you gives you a sense of purpose and can be deeply satisfying. If the work you are currently involved in falls short of this criteria, you may want to look at the possibilities for making a change at some point. If changing jobs is not practical, perhaps you could find a volunteer position or hobby that would meet the same criteria.


6. Take care of yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually
The health of your body enormously impacts happiness. Proper nutrition, regular sleep, and daily exercise that you find enjoyable are essential. Stress reduction through conscious schedule planning, breathing exercises, and meditation can make a tremendous difference. If you already have a spiritual practice or affiliation, seek to deepen it. If you don?t have one, you may want to explore those that interest you to find one that fits for you. Remembering your spirit, feeding, nurturing, and satisfying your soul can greatly increase your feeling of happiness.

7. Be honest with yourself and others
Congruence is the agreement between who you are, what you think and say you want, and your actions. As you become more connected with yourself, your goals, and your self-care improves, chances are you will find it increasingly easier to be genuine and authentic with others. When you really know who you are, what you want, and you are being true to yourself with actions that match, your happiness quotient will go up dramatically.


8. Be open to learning, growing and creating.

Continually expanding your mind through learning can increase your sense of self-confidence. Minds are kept young and sharp by continual use, and mentally active people live longer. Learning is as important to your brain as exercise is to your body. The more you learn, the more aspects of life you can be aware of, appreciate, and enjoy.

9. Manage your money wisely

If you are not already doing so, you can improve your money management by disciplining yourself to save money, keeping expenses low, evaluating your budget regularly, and using extra caution to consider expenses involved prior to starting a family, buying a home or making other large purchases. The old saying, ‘Money can’t buy happiness’ is not entirely true. We need money to pay for food, housing, transportation, and all other necessities for survival and comfort. Financial security is defined as the point at which a person has enough savings or regular income to support a comfortable lifestyle. ‘Comfortable’ means different things to different people. There are two ways to experience being rich: To have great wealth or to be content with what you already have. Once the basics of survival and reasonable comfort have been satisfied, your attitude regarding money becomes much more important than the size of your financial portfolio. Those who know how to use money well in the promotion of happiness are way ahead of those who think they need more.


10. Step out of your comfort zone in the pursuit of pleasure
Most of us tend to become creatures of habit. We eat the foods we like over and over, watch the same television shows week after week, frequent the same restaurants and theatres, and even choose the same vacation spots each year. What we once loved becomes comfortable, familiar, and eventually boring. If you feel stuck in a rut, make a conscious effort to add variety to your life. Try a new restaurant, plan a new and adventurous vacation, visit a museum you’ve never been to, or sign up for that dance class you’ve been thinking about taking. The possibilities are endless, and so are the rewards.

Banishing the Blues Using Exercise

A recent large scale Gallup survey found that participants who report not having exercised at all in the past week are almost twice as likely to report having been diagnosed with depression as those who report having exercised five to six days.

In the past decade, researchers have conducted studies that follow depressed people over time. Such studies indicate that exercise can ease feelings of depression and improve mood.

Therefore if you are feeling blue, often the last thing you feel like doing is exercising, but trust me your mind will thank you for it. Just a walk around the block, a gentle swim or a yoga class will help banish negative thoughts and release much needed endorphins (the feel good chemical). Exercising also helps you focus on something else for a while. The health benefits of exercise have been well documented, but now we know that exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits too. As the Mayo Clinic (http://www.mayoclinic.com/) reported it can help you:

Gain confidence
Meeting exercise goals or challenges, even small ones, can boost your self-confidence. Getting in shape can also make you feel better about your appearance.
Take your mind off worries
Exercise is a distraction that can get you away from the cycle of negative thoughts that feed anxiety and depression.
Get more social interaction
Exercise may give you the chance to meet or socialize with others. Just exchanging a friendly smile or greeting as you walk around your neighborhood can help your mood.
Cope in a healthy way
Doing something positive to manage anxiety or depression is a healthy coping strategy. Trying to feel better by drinking alcohol, dwelling on how badly you feel, or hoping anxiety or depression will go away on their own can lead to worsening symptoms.

How do I get started — and stay motivated?

Starting and sticking with an exercise routine can be a challenge. Here are some steps that can help. Check with your doctor before starting a new exercise program to make sure it's safe for you.

Identify what you enjoy doing. Figure out what type of physical activities you're most likely to do, and think about when and how you'd be most likely to follow through. For instance, would you be more likely to do some gardening in the evening or go for a walk early morning? Go for a bike ride or play football with your children after school? Do what you enjoy and not what you think you should do.

Set reasonable goals. Your mission doesn't have to be walking for an hour five days a week. Think realistically about what you may be able to do. Tailor your plan to your own needs and abilities rather than trying to meet unrealistic guidelines.

Don't think of exercise as a chore. If exercise is just another "should" in your life that you don't think you're living up to, you'll associate it with failure. Rather, look at exercise as a gift to yourself.

Address your barriers. Figure out what's stopping you from exercising. If you feel self-conscious, for instance, you may want to exercise at home. If you stick to goals better with a partner, find a friend to work out with. If you think about what's stopping you from exercising, you can probably find an alternative solution.

Prepare for setbacks and obstacles. Give yourself credit for every step in the right direction, no matter how small. Go for it.

What will you be doing in a decade?

As a new decade dawns, can you envisage where you will be in another decade? Look back over the past ten years and you will most probably feel that it has whizzed by. As the new millennium was rung in, did you have grand plans and resolutions? Have you achieved them? If so, congratulations, if not what stopped you? Lack of time, money, inclination, worry, fear, laziness, self doubt? Whatever it was don't lose heart, as it is never to late to make positive changes in your life. Coming up with great plans and ideas is one thing, but taking action to see the results is quite another.

Successful people clearly decide what they want and then do things each day to move them closer to achieving their goal. I particularly like the quote by Sir Ranulph Fiennes; "Decide what you want to be and once you have, go for it at once and with all your might."

Don't wait for the perfect time to start something that you are passionate about, begin it now. If you wait to long, life can pass you by and before you know it you may look back and say "If only I could have seen what I should have been."

Make a commitment to set aside a little time over the next few days to start planning what steps you are going to take to achieve all you desire in the coming decade. Regardless of whether it is to change jobs, have a better car, more money, bigger house, more time, give more to charity, you and only you can achieve it. Now fast forward in your mind to 2020 and think about how you will feel knowing that you have taken steps to achieve all you want. Know that you deserve all this. I am cheering you on from the sidelines.

Unleash The Mighty Toddler Within

We are born with an ability to get all of our needs met, be it a clean nappy, milk, cuddles, comfort, attention etc. As newborns when we became aware of our empty tummy we would wail excessively, prompting our caregiver into action. This is because our survival depended on it. Then as we become toddlers we have a supreme sense of self worth which allows us to engage with the world expecting to get our needs fulfilled. At this age we more often than not get exactly what we desire. To see this in action, watch a toddler decide that they want a certain toy. Very little will prevent them from getting it!

We can learn a lot from the behaviour of children and how we can incorporate some of their determination and focus into our own lives.

You know the drill, you decide that you are sick and tired of the way things have been and make a pact with yourself to make some changes. You may even write your goals down and have great intentions of achieving them. You can feel that you are on the brink of living a truly awesome life and can taste the sweet smell of success and then what happens? You hit a roadblock and instead of seeing this for what it is, a minor setback which needs a solution, it stops you in your tracks and you retreat into the comfort and often boredom of your everyday life, less determined to step outside of your comfort zone again!

Life was not intended to be lived this way. People who lead amazing lives take risks and are willing to stretch themselves regularly in many aspects of their lives. They are also less likely to be swayed by other people’s opinions, much like the mighty toddler. Many of us feel inspired to live our lives in a certain one or do something which we really enjoy, but stop short of actually doing it for fear of rejection or what others may think or say about us. As the adage goes ‘most people are too busy thinking about themselves to worry about what you’re thinking’. So if you know you are guilty of this, remember it is never too late to become who you might have been.

Unleash the mighty toddler within you and get what you want.

Focus on what you want.. how hard can it be..?

Focus on what you want.. how hard can it be?

We often hear how we need to focus on what we want and not what we don't want. The films the Secret, Heal Your Life, What the Bleep Do We Know and The Shift discuss this which is also commonly known as the law of attraction or manifesting. There is also a myriad of books now available on this subject. The basic idea is that you attract the things you desire into your life by focusing on them. Easier said than done I hear you say..

Well here are 5 strategies which will help you get focused and start attracting what you do want:

1. Get clear about what you honestly want in your life - the more precise you can be about what tou desire, the more opportunity it has of showing up.
2. Speak it into existence - Start to talk about your dreams and hopes confidently and know that they will come true.
3. Surround yourself with like minded people - Avoid energy zappers and only share your vision with those who are excited about what you want to achieve.
4. Be open to new experiences and take risks - Just focusing on what you want and talking about it unfortunately is not not enough, start to take steps in achieving your goals. Join a networking group, learn a new skill, get a mentor or coach. Whatever it is take action to move you in the direction you want.
5. Know that you truly deserve what you desire - This is often hard for us to do as we may feel that others deserve their success, but somehow we are not worthy. Try to limit this type of thinking and know that there is more than enough for everyone and you deserve to be prosperous and fulfilled.

Happy manifesting!

Learning from Micheal Jackson

I woke up to the news of the sudden death of Micheal Jackson. Whenever death strikes it reminds us of our own mortality and the fragility of life. Regardless of your opinions of the allegations that were filed against him, there is no doubt that Micheal was a hugely talented individual that brought much pleasure and entertainment to millions of people's lives. In his 50 years he won 13 Grammy awards, travelled the world and sold over 75 million records. Thriller alone, which is the top-selling album of all time, had sales exceeding 41 million.

Micheal's phenomenal success as an entertainer shows us what can be achieved by one individual with a vision. He was a gifted singer and was catapulted to stardom as a child, but his continued success was down to his determination and vision to do what he loved, which was songwriting and performing.

If one person can have that kind of success perfecting their craft, what could you do in your life time?

1. What is your purpose?
2. What would you like to do so much that you would feel truly blessed if you could do it everyday and get paid for it?
3. What activities do you do that you don't notice time passing?
4. What burning desire has come back to you again and again over the years?
5. If you knew what you should be doing, what would it be?
6. If you were not concerned with the judgements of others what would you do?

Answer the questions above honestly and you will be closer to uncovering your true purpose. We all have a sense of what we would really like to do, now starting taking tentative steps to get you closer to living your purpose. It might be buying an inspirational book, talking to someone that has done what you would like to do, writing down your goals or attending an evening course. The step itself is not important, what is is making a commitment to honour yourself and pursue your purpose.

As you read the questions you will undoubtably have resistances and negative self talk that pops up. Acknowedge these resistances, but continue to ponder the questions. When you are living a life that you choose, you are happier and in turn this allows people around you to begin to acknowledge their own purpose.

Go ahead and live a life of possibilities.