Every year, you probably make a long list of resolutions that you want to tackle this year. This list probably includes everything from not swearing to losing weight. And while many of these lists are filled with good intentions, too often you find that come February, that list is long gone, along with your motivation. Maybe this year is the year where you stop making those resolutions and start making one that sticks.
The idea of a resolution implies that you need to change something in order to become a better person – but is this really the case? Maybe you need to shift your perception of yourself and start celebrating what’s right about you instead of what’s wrong about you. Now, that would be a resolution that is not only fun to follow, but also life changing.
Start off your new year by creating a list of all the things you really love about yourself. This could be anything from your hair color to the way you sort your mail. Include everything that you like about yourself – as well as things you want to like about yourself. This list should be posted somewhere where you can look at it often and remind yourself just how great you already are.
In fact, you might want to make a resolution to not change a thing about yourself – just to show yourself how much you care about who you are right now. You will begin to learn to love yourself even more because you can fully appreciate everything about your mind and your body as you’re not trying to change a thing or focusing on anything negative.
This is the year for a new you – or rather, accepting the ‘you’ that you’ve been trying to change. Maybe he or she isn’t so bad after all.
Have a most outstanding day
Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
SeanRasmussen.com © 2004 – 2008
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Some interesting thoughts regarding New Year’s resolutions. Often New Years resolutions get made because we would like something to change. The New Years resolutions I have made seem to fall into one of 2 outcomes:
1) where I am committed to achieving a resolution and do; and
2) where I am not committed to achieving a particular goal, and even if I make a start, the goal doesn’t get completed because my heart wasn’t in it.
Hopefully, more of the former than the latter.
An important step in setting goals is being honest with oneself regarding what we are happy with, what we aren’t, and what we are willing to change. Unless I am willing to take the steps to work towards the goal, I might as well get used to the status quo instead.
That is not necessarily a bad thing – I may like where things are up to with many aspects of my life. Notwithstanding that I may be able to see scope for improvement, this doesn’t mean that I need to change in that particular area if I am otherwise happy with it. I agree it is important to recognise what we are happy with during the goal setting process, in order to a) feel good about the good things and so the whole process isn’t completely torturous, and b) be able to prioritise those things that are really important.
.-= Tom McEwin´s last blog ..Getting Targeted Internet Traffic and a Hungry Crowd =-.
It has always amused me that people seem to decide to make resolutions about changes they want to make on 1st January. Why not do it whenever the whim takes you. I am not one for anniversaries as I feel they are somewhat limiting or suffocating. They carry with them a lot of preconcieved ideas and emotion that can clutter your thinking.
Why not celebrate your self today and use today – or any other random day – to decide to change gears or change direction in your life?
I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions because New Year’s day and every day is another opportunity to work towards goal achievement. Meta-stating is the fast path to self appreciation. Especially when combined with EFT.
.-= Wal Heinrich´s last blog ..Internet Marketing Why? How? =-.
Hi Sean,
This is an excellent idea and one I’ve not considered trying. It sounds like a lot of fun, but I’m not going to wait until the New Year, as it’s still nine months away.
I will start today on making a list of everything that is good about me. And, when I feel like curling up in the fetal position, I will grab my list and celebrate all that is good about me.
I really like this post. Liking yourself is an important part of your life – if you have to live with yourself for the rest of your life – you may as well settle down and enjoy it!
.-= Jo Carey-Bradshaw´s last blog ..Empowering Mindset – Mindfulness =-.
While this post may be over 2 years old, the concepts discussed still hold true.
Year after year so much emphasis it placed on making a list of resolutions to better ourselves. We can sometimes forget what we do not need to change in ourselves and so any list that we create seems to be a massive task list where if we do not mark an item off we feel that we have failed in some way.
We should all look to improve our lives and go after true happiness, no matter whether that means creating a list once a year or once a week.
.-= Cemil´s last blog ..Following a Entrepreneurs Mindset =-.
Hey Sean,
I must admit, I’m not one for New Year’s Resolutions, at the best of times.
Of course, I understand the concept of New Year’s Resolutions: the beginning of a New Year and so you resolve to be a better person or make some changes in the way that you live your life (or in some case, DON’T live your life!)
After reading the above article, and the comments, I think the problems with New Year’s Resolutions are that they are imply a need to change, which comes from the perception that something is wrong, which is based in negativity. Would people be more successful with them if their Resolutions were worded to be an improvement of aspects of their lives. By saying that you want to ‘improve’ on an area of your life, it doesn’t necessarily mean that what you are doing is wrong or bad, just that you want to do it better.
Of course, the other problem with New Year’s Resolutions is that a lot of people are really making New January Resolutions, that they expect the instant gratification and results within the first 4 weeks. Of course they are going to be disappointed and so another list falls by the wayside.
Just a couple of thoughts I thought I’d share.
Cheers,
Pete
.-= Pete´s last blog ..peteboyr: @bullhunter Thanks, Sean. Just reviewing the webinar, and will get to your blogs after that. Big night ahead, pizza on the way! =-.
Hi Pete,
You make some excellent points. It makes much more sense to approach change positively by seeing it as an improvement. I think if we focus on wanting more of the good things that’s exactly what we’ll get.
.-= Jazz Salinger´s last blog ..Finding Your Passion =-.
Hi Sean,
I really like this post & remember my most favorite new years day start which was not so long ago. Where I am from most of my peers spend there new years day hungover & feeling awful after a big night out partying but for me those days are long gone & over.
Now I enjoy an early start with a jog or at the gym where I can really set the stage for what I intend to be a good year. This helps me to progress with a positive start to the year rather than kicking off with a painful one like I had so many times before : )
.-= jeremy´s last blog ..jlagatule- RT @tonyrobbins For you night owls still upCome be the first to have a sneak peak of R Breakthrough insiders site http-bitly-caSRxw =-.