I hope that everyone enjoyed your Christmas holiday, are enjoying Kwanzaa or enjoyed Chanukah. Whatever it is that you celebrate, we all have a new year coming up in just days and with it, New Year Resolutions. Either weight loss, regular gym attendance, more travel, more income, more joy or finding love are likely on your list. On January 1, we are all motivated and enthusiastic and determined to succeed. By February 1, most of these resolutions have been put on a shelf until later….whenever later may be. Sometime during the year, perhaps on your birthday, perhaps with a significant change in your circumstances, you think about it again. So I ask you, what will you DO about it? How will you make a plan to go back to those resolutions and make a change? You need a plan.
Let’s begin with a change of vocabulary. The pressure of New Year Resolutions can be overwhelming. Do not aim to begin on January 1, 2014. Begin the day you are reading this. Everyday is the first day of the rest of your life. It is a new beginning every time you wake up in the morning. Prepare yourself to wake up tomorrow and begin with gratitude. Tomorrow is day one of your Gratitude Plan. This plan applies to men and women, young or old, fit or fat, wealthy or poor. Your Gratitude Plan includes acknowledging all that is right and good in your life now, leaving all of “the stuff” from the past in the past and looking forward to the amazing things life is bringing you in the future.
We must all be aware that the most perfect life you see someone else living, is not perfect to them. Every human being has stresses, worries, fears and pain, both physical and emotional, at times. So keeping that in perspective, jealousy and envy can be tossed out the window. Even when you believe that you are, as a friend of mine says, “so po that you cannot afford the second o or r” you have something to be grateful for. A hot drink, sunshine, a hot shower or the clothes on your back. This may sound very pie in the sky to you…I understand that. Do yourself a favour though, give it a try. What do you have to lose after all? Do it in the shower every morning. As you feel the hot water hitting your body, close your eyes and feel the warmth and massaging effect of it. Say thank you for it. Having a coffee or tea when you get out? Imagine it and say thank you again. Do you have a nice thick towel to wrap yourself up in after the shower? As you are still under the water, imagine the warmth and softness of the towel. Does the soap smell good? Be thankful as you absorb the positive things invading your senses.
By the end of day five, you will not have to search for things to be grateful for. The list will keep you going after you have dried off and are getting dressed for your day. Did you stub your toe or wake up late? Do not let it take over your day. Make your gratitude a ritual that nothing gets to take away. You will see such a difference in how the rest of your day progresses that you will find yourself talking to others about it. It will even negate any bad moments. You will learn to recognize that they are indeed, only moments in time and are not a reflection of you, your day to come nor do they influence any other activities in your day.
What does this have to do with losing weight or finding love? Set gratitudes for your body. Add it to your routine. When you are in your shower and feeling gratitude, visualize your body as you want it to be Focus on it. Feel it. See it. Okay….plan your food and exercise for the day with the picture of your new body in your mind. With a little bit of discipline and focus, you will find yourself saying no to that extra serving of potatoes and saying yes to a walk around the block instead. Getting into shape truly is a one day at a time and step by step process. Be grateful for your body and your health. See your healthy body and know that it is within you. This is a method which has simple to follow directions, easy to understand and puts virtually no stress on you. You may even find yourself upping the ante sooner rather than later. You will take a second look at biking in the good weather and getting out more and watching tv less. Snacks will evolve into healthier choices. What have you done? You have created a gratitude frame of mind that leads to lifestyle changes. The same applies to finding love. How?
When you learn to recognize all of the good in your life, you will find yourself smiling more, glowing more and walking with more of a bounce in your step. You will dress with more confidence too. You will take that extra moment to add a little touch. I personally make sure that I do not walk out the door in the morning with out earrings and perfume. You will develop a more attractive and magnetic aura which will, in turn, attract more positive and more charismatic people around you. Love will be attracted to you and you will be more open to seeing it when it is near you.
A Gratitude Plan is your new life, beginning on the new day. It does not require a new year and will not die over time. It is simple, easy, user friendly and free. Be grateful in anticipation of good things to come. Feel those things now and acknowledge them now. Too many people feel fear in anticipation of something bad potentially happening, even when the odds are they will not actually happen. Practice anticipating good things instead and see the difference it makes. Bad things might happen however they do not need to take over your life. Leave the past where it belongs, under the lessons learned category.
For help with a Life Plan, taking your Gratitude Plan to the next level, contact andrea@unleashtheknow.com. I will work with you to develop a program specific to you. Life is to be lived. Live your dreams, not your fears.
UnLeash the KNOW 