I wonder how many people will use this magical time – New Years Eve to make a resolution to be different in the new year.

Where do New Years Resolutions come from?

New Years celebrations are the oldest in our history, its believed we have celebrated the new year for over 4,000 years although we didn’t start to make resolutions till the Romans. Through many religious beliefs it is traditional to reflect on our wrongdoings and seek forgiveness.  The concept is one of self improvement.

I gave up making new years eve resolutions years ago, like many people I’d write down my resolution keep it for a few days then go back to my previous behaviour.  Then I’d feel bad as I hadn’t managed to keep to it.

A few years ago I was having a heart to heart with a good friend, and it turned into a giant whinge.  As we moaned about relationships, our kids, time, stress, money etc etc etc.  Sound familiar?  After a while I got fed up with the vision of misery we were creating, each moan making us feel worse and worse inside.

So many people talk about, focus on, whats wrong with their lives.

So I stopped made some fresh coffee and we began to make a list about what was right with our lives and what we could do to make things better, and I decided to turn my life upside down.  Now I don’t mean any positions that include my feet being higher than my head but turning my thinking upside down.

Of course sometimes even though we want something, or think/say we do, we actually do nothing towards achieving this.  It as if we self sabotage.

Have you ever been moving towards your dream only to find that you do stupid things that mess it up.  Or maybe you just procrastinate…….

What causes this?

Its often our perception, something just outside of our conscious awareness; what we say we want is in conflict with what we really want.

Here’s an experiment for you …..

Choose a goal and ask yourself the following questions.

  1. What do you want?
  2. Why do you want it?
  3. Why don’t you want it?
  4. How much time/energy will it take to achieve it?
  5. What skill do you need to accomplish it?
  6. Who else needs to be involved?
  7. Who does it effect?
  8. When does it need to be done by?
  9. What happens if you don’t do it in time?
  10. What will it cost?
  11. How much money will it make?
  12. How important is the money factor?
  13. How likely is it that you will get what you want?
  14. Is it good for you and those around you?
  15. I f you could have it right now, would you take it?

So now I work towards goals.  I think about what I want – then check a few things including is it really what I want, will it be good for me and is it sustainable by me alone.  I try it on (imagine) how it will be, what effect it will have on my life and those closest to me.  Then if it passes all the tests I map out what I need to do to achieve my goal.  This is a work in progress.

Its not a new idea, spiritual beliefs are based on counting our blessings; and theres a great side effect too.  The more I focus on what is right, the better I feel, thus enabling me to think more clearly and make better decisions helping me to feel better.

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