There’s a lot of hype about New Year’s Resolutions. People make them and break them, having good intentions to lose weight, or get a different job, or stop smoking. Some people rebel against setting such goals, saying that they’re hypocritical and useless. However, I’ve found taking time once a year to plan out a path to be a very powerful exercise.
At the beginning of each new year, I write a list of goals that I’d like to achieve in the new year. Actually, I start by reading the old list of goals, laughing at the impossible ones, gasping at the ones that I got despite terrific odds, content with the ones I knew I’d achieve. One year, my life completely changed in March or so, and so the next year’s read was very interesting: I didn’t achieve any of the goals that were so important to me the previous year; and my life was incredibly better than I’d ever imagined.
This year, I thought it was interesting that once I write my goals, I never look at the sheet until the next year. It’s almost like I put them out there, then let the Universe do what it will. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. It really doesn't matter, and I never find myself sad about missing a goal. And I do enjoy the surprise at the beginning of the year, looking back on who I was one year ago. But, this year, I’m going to try something different. I set fewer, but more important goals (publish my book, develop a women’s group coaching program, be more in the present moment), and I plan to keep my goals visible all year; on the fridge, where I can see them daily. I’m also doing affirmations to support my goals.
It should be interesting to see what develops this year, what surprises from the Universe will do to my intended goals, and whether keeping my goals in mind will make them more powerful, or will make any difference at all….