As the new year crept closer, I began to think about 2013 and how I could make 2014 my year. As I replayed 2013 in my head, I realized that I didn’t even remember what my resolution was for 2013. I have no idea if I even reached that goal. I decided that this year I was not going to make a resolution – this way I would create more success, happiness and health in my life.
Here are 6 ways that you, too, can create happiness, health and success in every part of your life in 2014! Cheers to new beginnings and growth!
- Set an Intention for the Year: If you think about the meaning of the word resolution, it refers to something that is broken and needs fixing. As a person, you are NOT broken. You do not need fixing. You just need awareness of your own life. Setting an intention for the year that you can say everyday and think about multiple times a day creates WAY more success. An example is my intention or theme for the year: to stand in my truth. I ask myself the question when certain things arrive in my life or just in general everyday – is this ME? Is this MY truth? Is this what I need and want for MY life? Yours could be love, openness, mindfulness, awareness, or you can choose your own. When you are doing so, think about what you MOST want to bring into your life to make it so much sweeter than it already is!
- Small Changes = Big Success: I am sure most of you have heard me say this a good bit and, yes, I am saying it again. Small changes made over time can create huge change and big success in your lives and in your health. Making large changes all at once can be really overwhelming and after just a few days/weeks, it sometimes becomes too much to keep up with and sometimes gets left to the wayside. Don’t beat yourself up about going slow making changes – slow and steady is the BEST way to go!
- Accept Where You Are at this Very Moment in your Life: Accept where you are in your life and in your health right now. Let go of how you got there or that this wasn’t your intention for your life…let it go. You are here, now, so accept it. Set an intention and move forward. Be present in your life. I sometimes feel like we all are looking so much into the future that we forget to see what is right in front of us. If you become aware of where you are now and let the junk of the past go, I promise, you will see a shift in your life and in the way you take care of your body.
- Try One New Food Every Month: Pick 12 new foods that you want to try and add into your diet. Put down one for every month of the year. During that month of whatever new food you decided to add in, see how many ways you can use it, how many new recipes you can create or add to one of your favorite dishes. Keep all of these new foods and recipes in a binder. By the end of the year, you are going to have so many new ways and foods to cook with – you will impress yourself – trust me AND…. It’ll be fun! Cooking IS fun – know you WILL have flops in the kitchen, but if we didn’t have those flops, how would we learn?
- Make Grocery Shopping Easy: Take inventory of what you have in your pantry and fridge and write a list of those items that you use the most. Keep it on a clipboard somewhere in your kitchen or pantry. As you notice that you are running low on an item, make a check mark next to that item on the master list. When you go to make your grocery list, all you have to do is refer back to your master list, see what has been checked, and put it on your list for the store. I like to create this list on an excel sheet so I have columns and little boxes for each check. When you have gotten the items that were checked, simply cross them out and move into the next block so you can see what is the most current. I started doing this a few months ago and it really helps!
- Embrace Change – Don’t Beat Yourself Up: Allow yourself some space. We often don’t allow ourselves enough space emotionally and physically. This creates unwanted stress and anxiety in our lives. If you give yourself some space and a little self-love, it will go a long way. Don’t get lazy though – still need to create success – but do it on YOUR time. Your time is not what Suzie’s time is, – that is her time. YOUR time… YOUR Space…YOUR Journey. Embrace it.