Ditch Your New Year’s Resolutions!

The New Year is here and millions of us will be sitting down and writing out our New Year’s Resolutions. And, you know the drill, within two weeks they will be forgotten as we get caught up in the daily grind of life. Our fresh enthusiasm for the New Year will be gone and long forgotten. Don’t let this happen to you! Instead, why not ditch your New Year’s Resolutions altogether and focus on just one big goal (or Gulp!)? Maybe it’s time to switch careers, or travel the world, or change something in your relationships. Whatever your goal is, don’t let it fizzle. Make it happen and stay on track by following this 7-day crash course designed to help you master fear and break through any challenge: STEP 1: DARE & DEFY Put a stake in the ground and commit to doing it. I call this Daring & Defying. Write down your One Big Gulp! on a post-it note and put it somewhere where you can see it every day. Tell your friends about and make sure you set a deadline (gulp!). STEP 2: BREAKDOWN & BREAKTHROUGH FEAR It’s natural to feel afraid because you’re stepping outside your comfort zone and into the void of the unknown. The thing with fear is it starts in the mind and is triggered by your thoughts and what you imagine might happen. So imagine the worst, and then put strategies in place to make sure it never happens. And then imagine the best possible outcome and focus on creating that. STEP 3: CENTER & CONNECT TO YOUR CORE When you calm your mind and create space and stillness, not only do you connect to your inner sage, that wise old voice within, it means you can actually hear it! When you do things that are aligned to your soul, there is no fear, there is just an inner knowingness of what feels right. So spend time walking in nature, listening to relaxing music, doing a Pilates class or meditating. And then listen closely to your inner wisdom. STEP 4: IMAGINE & INVENT NEW POSSIBILITIES Your sense of possibility is only limited by the extent of your imagination. So as you think about your One Big Gulp!, imagine all the possible outcomes or scenarios. Expand your vision of “what could be.”
STEP 5: PLAN & PREPARE YOUR PATH It’s time to chart your course. As soon as you step outside your comfort zone you step into the unknown—that gap or void between where you are and where you want to be. The secret to making your One Big Gulp! easy is to plug as much of this gap as possible. In other words do some research, gather information, ask questions, spend some time on Google, put together an action plan. And practice and rehearse as much as possible. STEP 6: FOCUS & FLOW From personal experience I know that when I’m doing something that makes my heart sing and my soul dance—everything just flows—if I let it. So stay focused on where you’re heading and use your intuition to guide you. Also, let go of anything that is part of the “old.” It can be hard to let go of things before the new has arrived, but as you know, sometimes you’ve got to close one door before you can open another. STEP 7: JUST GULP! AND GO FOR IT As you move through this journey, you’ll reach a point where you’ve just got to do it. The opportunity is there, you’re prepared and ready, and all you need to do is take that big step forward. For me last year, it was when I was sitting on the side of the boat and had a choice to get in the water or not. We all have a choice, so and take that leap of faith. You never know until you try and you never know where it all might lead next. Finally, take advantage of the new energy that comes at the start of a New Year and turn your ideas into reality. If you’d like some extra support and inspiration to stay motivated and on track, why not sign up for my free downloadable One Big Gulp! Kit, which you will find at http://www.onebiggulp.com. Remember, it’s your life, your choice, so live your greatest life!