Happy New Year, Friends! Hope your holidays were beautiful.
As we’re on to a new year and decade, there have been skillions of articles and blogs published about how to create what you want in this new chapter of our lives.
I like to be a contrarian, and offer up ideas in opposition to the norm, to get us thinking. Towards that end, here’s one:
Let’s NOT create New Year’s Resolutions this year.
I’m not a fan of resolutions. It seems that “resolutions” are somehow associated with failure…the things we say we are going to do, but in the end, don’t achieve, because we lack the commitment, energy, drive, or wherewithal to complete them.
Let’s not make resolutions this year. Let’s do something different. Let’s designate “areas of intensive focus” and watch what emerges as the year unfolds.
Here’s my plan:
I’ve written down four outcomes that are very important to me – areas or experiences that I have now but want more of in my life — that I intend to focus on going forward.
To me, focus is everything. If we can determine in some detail what we want to create, understand and validate why we want to create it, then look intently for new opportunities and possibilities around that particular goal or outcome, success happens (or at least we progress towards it in a much easier, fun, and fulfilling way than would otherwise occur).
Wonderful occurrences and synchronicities that we simply couldn’t expect or predict fall into our experience, as we focus intently on our desired outcomes. New doors open, new friends and supporters make themselves known, new lessons learned, new paths revealed. If we don’t focus intently on what we want to create, we miss so many chances for moving forward on the path we long for.
Here’s what my “intensive focus” areas for 2010 look like:
Focus Area #1:
What Do I Want More Of?
Creating high-demand national seminars, products, and training programs that give women the tools they long for to transform their challenges into breakthrough to a new level of great success.
Why Do I Want It?
Because these programs will help teach women how to manage and shape their lives successfully on their own terms, and be great fun and reward for me to share and participate in this learning and teaching process.
Focus Area #2:
What Do I Want More Of?
Attracting coaching and consulting clients whom I LOVE to work with and who love to work with me.
Why Do I Want It?
Because coaching groups and one-on-one with folks who resonate with me energetically and in their thinking and behavior, is great joy to me, and allows me to interact in deeply personal ways to help people make the changes they long for.
Focus Area #3:
What Do I Want More Of?
Learning as much as I can (then sharing back that wisdom) about what contributes to abundant success – personal, professional, financial, and spiritual – in the lives of women across all generations.
Why Do I Want It?
I love to research human behavior and thinking, then develop my own personalized “model for change.” Researching abundant success represents the next level for me – it will teach me lessons I’m yearning to learn, and also help others who’ve had an initial transformative breakthrough, but now want more.
Focus Area #4:
What Do I Want More Of?
To treasure and appreciate and receive deeply — in every cell of my body — all the bountiful blessings in my life now and those blessings that are forthcoming. My blessing list is long, and includes my precious children, husband, health, parents, family, friends, work, creative endeavors, and the list goes on.
Why Do I Want It
I’m not so hot at receiving. It’s an area I definitely want to grow in. When I am in the place of full-on receiving, it feels absolutely fantastic physically and emotionally, and the effects are long-lasting and delicious. I’m ready for more receiving! (Thanks to my new financial consultant and colleague, Denise Hughes, for facilitating that powerful revelation).
That’s it for me. Out with the resolutions, and in with some intensive focus on what I love in my life, and what I’d love to create more bountifully this year.
So how about you? Will you do the above exercise for your 2010? What would you like to focus on creating this year, and why?
Let’s skip the resolutions, and replace them with a validation of your heartfelt longings, and your clear-sighted focus on what you’re passionate about, and what you want more of this year.
This is YOUR year.
