How to Make Resolutions that Bring You REAL, Lasting Change

Are You already failing at the promises you made to yourself January 1st? If so, don't worry- it happens to everyone who didn't do it right. There's no use in beating yourself up for making a huge list of things to change in your life and then not following through. You've got some intentions, but you haven't made a plan of how to get them done! The good news is that if you find your most important resolution and stick with it, the others will probably fall into place naturally.

Here's how to Make A Meaningful List Of Resolutions:

Resolutions give us the opportunity to reflect on what is working and what is not working for us in our lives and focus on how we may make improvements towards more health and happiness in the year ahead of us. The reason they often don't stick is because we write them based on what we think we should want or be to make us 'better' not what our heart is telling us we need to be more whole and fulfilled.

So how do you write a list that will put the wheels in motion to make real change in your life?

Start by making a list of the things you are grateful for. Reflect on 2015.

• What are the events you remember most (both the good and the bad)? What are you happy they taught you?
• What are the best things that happened to you in the past year? Why are they significant? What did they give you and why are you grateful they occurred?
• What are the things you wish you had made happen in 2015? What kept them from occurring? Why would their occurence have changed your life for the better?
• What have you learned from them not happening yet? What are the alternative lessons you received?

Now, with these honest answers, take an objective look at what you really want.

• What are the most obvious themes or patterns in your answers? What are the strongest feelings that they evoke?
• Why do you think you are having these feelings? Focus on the strongest positive feeling. How can you bring more of it into your life?
• Based on your patterns of experience in 2015, what are the actions that you can most simply take to bring more of this positive energy into your life?

These are your resolutions. Think of them as your to do list for the first quarter.

Write down these specific, emotion provoking actions that you may take to move your life in a more positive direction. More importantly, write down how you can integrate these actions into your daily life. This integration is the commitment you are making to yourself.

Would you like personalized assistance in setting more meaningful goals for 2016 and bringing them into fruition? Want more exercises like this that provide an opportunity for holistic reflection? Contact me now.