With this Christmas upon us, I thought it was timely to talk about resolutions. I wonder how many of us actually make a resolution and how many follow through with what that is. The easiest thing for any of us is to stay the same, each day – that way we know what to expect and we know how to respond. So what is it about change that can make it so challenging? Many things that hold us back from change can be the doubt or fears we hold in our own minds about what is possible. We may fear if we challenge something, we may not get it right the first time, someone will think badly of us or even get angry. We may think we couldn’t do it, maybe we don’t even really want to do it – yet. What we are doing now gives us so much comfort. How long are you willing to live with that comfort before it no longer feels comfortable? Or – what would you regret if you never took the opportunity to do what you really wanted to when you had the chance?? Consider you are at the end of your life – what would you like to look back on? Is there some nasty habit you wish you had broken, is there something exciting you would like to have tried such as skydiving or scuba diving? Did you want to write a book, travel, change jobs or spend more time just being??  Many of these things are at your fingertips if you are willing to commit to giving it a go. The reality of it all is that many of us give up just when we are about to succeed. So – what are the real costs of not following through on your New Years Resolution?  Will another year simply sail by and nothing really change? What feelings do you get when you meet someone you haven’t seen for a while and they tell you about some major accomplishments they have made? Does that leave you thinking – ‘well I haven’t really done anything’ and leave you feeling a bit empty or worthless? Would you like to be that person with their nose to the wind sniffing out the next opportunity or simply enjoying the journey of life?  Would you like to be the person that thinks life is pretty good, has a relaxed persona and nothing ever seems to be a problem. What could you do in your life to give yourself some of that right now – today? How often do we wish our lives away? When we are at school we just want to finish, learn to drive and start to live.  Once you find your first real job, what are you thinking now? Maybe you have young children and every day seems filled with burden. Maybe you have teenagers and you are still trying to work out where their personalities have gone. Maybe the kids are off your hands and you find your nest is empty and you don’t quite know how to fill it again.  So looking to your year ahead, sit back and ponder about something that gets you excited, something that fills you with joy, contentment or just puts a smile on your face.  Could that be the New Years Resolution you will be resolute to? If your resolution is to quit smoking or lose weight – think hard about what rewards maintaining the comfort zone you are now in. Consider what the downfalls are. Which side is winning? Now think about what your life would look and feel like if you were able to control and act positively against your nasty habit. Is that something that is putting a smile on your face? The only things you need to achieve this are commitment and a place to find the support you need on your way. For smokers, it may be finding support through the use of nicotine replacement therapy, having your partner quit at the same time, asking for positive reinforcement from those around you or creating a daily journal of what is happening for you with a written goal to support your focus. If you want to manage your weight – do you in your heart and mind truly believe you can do it?? Commit to this with a positive affirmation of I can do it and I will do it! Get the information you need on diet or exercise. Use a support program if it helps you strengthen your focus and don’t give up! Find a friend to work out with and again get those around you to support and encourage you. You are worth it! Don’t think that if you have a bad day that it means every day after that will be a bad day too. As you begin to make some positive gains, tap into that power and positiveness will grow inside you. You may think I tried that before and it didn’t work or I did not succeed. Past experiences do not necessarily mean that pattern will repeat itself. The key is to look back at that past experience and learn from it. What could you do this time to overcome a previous challenge? Remember again, many people give up just before they really succeed.  Your goals could be more aligned with a lifestyle change, career change or travel. Spend some time visualizing what this will look like so you know exactly what you need to go after. With a clear picture in your mind, it is far easier to find the action steps you need to put this change in place. Before the 1st of January, create an action list of 100 steps – the smaller the better, to piece together what you need to do to attain your goal. These steps can include a bit of self care on the way.  If you don’t have a clue about what change you need to make, take stock of how much fulfillment you get from your life today. If your life is OK but you don’t exactly walk around with a smile on your face each day – your resolution could be to look for 3 positive things in your day, each day. You will be surprised how filling your life with the gratitude of what you have already can change your perspective. This can really change your life! So for your New Years Resolution, think about what would make this coming year different from those years before it. Whatever you decide – COMMIT to it and TRUST yourself you CAN do it! Let the journey begin….