29 Dec Don’t Make New Years Resolutions- rather try this!

This New Years Eve, don’t make empty resolutions, rather do something that will

make 2017 an exceptional year!

Every January we get an influx of job seekers looking for “New Year’s Resolution” jobs or career changes.  While we are thrilled to have their talent on our books, by March a lot of these job seekers have lost their motivation and many are content to continue along in jobs and at salaries that a few months earlier, they found less than satisfying.

Although New Year’s Resolutions are largely a waste of time, it does present the majority of people with an opportunity to evaluate their lives over the past year, and look towards the future and what they want to achieve.  The biggest problem with New Year’s Resolutions, is that firstly, people set them at the last minute, generally at a party under the influence of alcohol; and secondly, with no plan of action to make them a reality.

With 2-3 days left of 2016, why not schedule a few quiet moments to reflect on the past year, and what you want to achieve in 2017.  If you don’t know what you want to achieve, how will you ever achieve it?  Are you 100% happy with the way things are in your life- don’t you want more for yourself, your family and your career?

Here are a few steps that you can follow to ensure that you make

THE MOST EFFECTIVE NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS

1. Decide.  It seems crazy, but when asked what their goals are, most job seekers go blank.  The same is probably true right now for you!  It often helps to do a mind map, and brain storm what you want out of your life under the following headings:- Success, health, personal growth, home life and love.  Once you have a bunch of ideas, you can follow the steps below of refine your goals.
2. Write it down. Studies have shown the goals written down are more likely to be (remembered, and) achieved.  Make sure that they are specific.  It’s better to write, “I want to plant carrots, lettuce and tomato in my vegetable patch by May”, then it is to write, “I want to do some gardening.”
3. Tell someone. The more you talk about your goals, the more easily your brain will start to believe that they are going to happen.  Choose people to tell that will support, motivate and keep you focused.  One of the huge advantages of living in the times that we do, is that you can join on line communities, such as Facebook Groups, and get this motivation and inspiration from people who have achieved what you are wanting to achieve.  A perfect example of this is the “Sleek Geek” Facebook Group which has thousands of members supporting each other in achieving better health and fitness levels.
4. Break down bigger goals. Some of our goals can be so big, that it is hard to see them as realistic.  For someone who does not own running shoes, The Comrades Marathon is a bit of a stretch.  But breaking it down into smaller goals, suddenly makes it totally realistic!  (Research and buy running shoes.  Join a running club and comrades training group.  Download a training program.  Run a 5km race in a set time.  Run a 10km race.  Run a half marathon.  Run a marathon.  Run a set distance each week… )
5. Plan your first step and act. Maybe your first step, is to find out what your first step should be!
6. Keep going and don’t let little bumps in the road stop you. The journey to achieving your goal is not supposed to be perfect.  You will cheat and you will backslide.  Keep reading and re-evaluating your goals and don’t lose sight of what you have trying to achieve and why.
7. Celebrate where you are today and the small victories. Enjoy the journey.  The more you focus on the positive, the more likely you are to stay positive!

2017 AFFIRMATIONS

New Year’s Goals are great, but I read a book recently that introduced me to setting an Affirmation or Mantra for the year ahead.  An affirmation is a positive statement that you repeat over and over to yourself, until your mind starts to believe it and make it a reality.  It is about re-programming the way that we think.  Here are a few steps to assist you in creating your affirmation for 2017

1. Chose a negative though and write down the opposite positive thought. “I am so tired of being broke and always struggling financially,” becomes, “I have financial freedom and live a life of ease.”
2. Make your affirmation as short as possible so it is easy to remember- no more than 10 words if at all possible.
3. Start the affirmation with “I” or “My”.
4. Write the affirmation in the present tense, “I am happy”, “I am fit”
5. Focus on the positive only. Avoid words like “won’t”, am not”, “can’t”.
6. Believe that it is possible.

Write your affirmation down and read it several times every day, until you know it off by heart, then repeat it silently, or aloud to yourself in the mirror, as often as possible.  Every time you feel any doubt slip into your mind, silence the doubt by repeating your affirmation and taking back control of your mind from the negative thoughts.  (Tell us your affirmation and the top ones will be brand onto coffee coasters for your desk, or a water bottle, do you have a constant reminder at your fingertips.)

Finally, LET GO OF THE PARTS OF 2016 THAT DO NOT INSPIRE THE AMAZING 2017 YOU DESERVE!

The final thing that you need to do in your 2017 New Year’s Eve preparations is to let go of all the negative aspects of 2016.  You cannot leap into the New Year, full of enthusiasm, if you are carrying the weight of all your burdens from 2016.  A lot of people like to write down all the things that they want to let go of, and burn it on New Year’s Eve.  Here are a few points to help you in letting go of certain aspects of 2016:-

1. Make the decision to let go of your grudges, conflicts and negative experiences in 2016. They won’t leave you, until you consciously choose to let them go.  Choose happiness.  Making this decision in itself is liberating!
2. Express your pain… and your responsibilities…. Once and for all… and then let it go. Stop dwelling on it and re-living it.  (This is where a powerful affirmation can help in stopping your mind from running away from you!)
3. Stop being a victim and blaming others. Take responsibility for your own happiness, and your part in where you are.
4. Focus on the present. Right now, in this minute, reading this email- you are safe, peaceful and powerful.  Let go of past hurts, so that you can enjoy all the wonderful things in this moment.
5. Forgive others, but most especially forgive yourself. We all do and say things that we wish we could take back- it’s part of being human.  But you can’t take it back.  It’s in the past.  So focus on today, and making a better tomorrow.