New Year's resolutions for 2012

I love this time of the year. It feels almost like magic when I allow my mind to step out of the daily routine and let new ideas spark. The most interesting part is reflecting on the year coming to an end and at the same time contemplating the year which is about to start. It is the time when I realise that life is not only about the daily grey routine but about goals, dreams and aspirations. 

When I reflect on the year past, I normally try to think of the different areas such as relationship(s) with partner, family and friends, finance, health, nutrition, work and spirituality. It is not a tedious exercise. I do it on the beach or when I wake up in the morning. I want to encourage you to do it as well. Take a notebook or your laptop and randomly write things down as they come to mind. Do it when you have time to relax - in the bath tub, at your favourite coffee shop or while dozing off in your garden.

While you busy with this, surely new ideas, goals and dreams for next year will spark in your mind. I turn these in little resolutions and start the new year with new energy and enthusiasm.

However, the most difficult part about New Year’s resolution is to make those newly set goals last beyond February. In December, I often cannot even remember what I had set out for the year. So I thought of some ideas to remind oneself about these resolutions and dreams throughout the year.

My suggestion, take advantage of your electronic calendar and write six little notes/reminders to yourself stating your goals, dreams and things that you want to achieve. Post it on the first of each month from June onwards. Address those notes personally to you. For the first of December you write yourself a special message with encouraging words and also praising yourself how well you have done this year. Write yourself an 'end of year report' which contains mainly grade As.

Write a few postcards with similar messages and put them into envelopes, put a stamp and your address on the envelope and on random days from March to June you send them to you via snail mail. Keep them in your diary and when they fall out, you know it is time to put the next one in a post box. Alternatively, give them to a reliable friend of yours and ask her/him to randomly put those in a mailbox.

Be specific on those cards but only use positive language. 

Examples:

'It is time to check out the gym schedule and attend your next spinning class' or 'by now you have lost 2 kg, well done.'

'Detox day is around the corner - go shopping for fruit and vegetables' 

' Call friend x - I love chatting with her'

'It's time to (re-)introduce your weekly 'spend-no-money-day'

etc 

It is all about your goals, so do not go with things your read in magazines or on the web but write down things that are relevant to your life. Be kind and don't set your goals too high. Make it realistic and achievable. Maybe add an inspirational quote that you like to read and find very powerful. 

My message for you for the new year is simple:

Let your inner you shine during 2012.

Wake up in the morning and ask yourself, how am I doing? How do I feel today?

What do I need today to make this a fantastic day?

Be gentle and kind to yourself; focus on yourself, so you have enough energy to focus on others.

Follow your dreams. 

Wishing you a lovely start of 2012.