New Year's Resolutions: A Thought Experiment

It's a new year according to the calendar, but for those who work in fields that relate to the school year as well as parents and students, it seems we've only just begun! Even so, the calendar is an important way that we mark time.

Have you ever looked at your own inner calendar? 

I want to propose this experiment for your New Year. Here are the steps to follow:

1. What if you were given the freedom to do everything at your own pace, in your own way, without thinking of someone else's needs before your own? A fantasy? Perhaps, but a valuable one nevertheless. By asking yourself what you want and need, without the influence of other people or situations, you can begin to hear the authentic voice of your Soul. You will begin to distinguish what are the wants of your Ego or personality and what are the wants and needs of your heart and soul. You can later factor the people in your life back into the equation, but you would be starting from the core of who you are. It's harder to lose yourself that way.

2. Throw out all New Year's Resolutions—they are just one more way in which we can beat ourselves up for goals not reached. When we make these resolutions, we are feeling the energy of wanting change, but the list is often superficial (e.g., lose 10 lbs). If the problem is a deeply seeded one, it will not likely be handled with this type of approach (e.g., deal with my dysfunctional relationship to food). Hmm ... Toss the list.

3. Ask yourself: If you knew that whatever happens in 2010 was going to be repeated exactly as it happened, minute by minute, hour by hour—every event the same, every line you waited in was the same length, every pain or joy that you felt would be repeated in 2011—what would you change? What would you do differently? This is the only list you need.

4. Carpe Diem—seize the day, seize the moment—and listen to your inner voice. On some deep level you really do know where you are headed and what you want out of your life. If not, call a Soul Coach® but ask yourself, "Is the way I'm are living my life going to lead to the place I want to be?" Take the energy of change that we feel in January and do something different. January is "do over" month.

   • Have you been fighting with someone you don't want to fight with anymore? Experiment with forgiveness—of both yourself and the other person—and do it differently next time.

   • Do you feel it's time for a change of occupation? Take steps to enrol in a course. If you always do what you've always done, you know where that will lead you!

5. If you must make a list, make a Manifesting List. Start with all the things you want to manifest in your life for 2010 and when you can no longer think of anything else you want in your life (and you will be surprised how quickly you can run out of "wants"), branch out to your family, friends and neighbours, fellow city dwellers, your state or province, your country, the world, and continue out into the universe! Health? Peace? Ending poverty? Next December, pull out your list and see what you have co-created with Spirit. Don't let this year be a repeat of all the previous years unless it was a magnificent year! And even when you want more of the same, choose it with thought and intention and then take the action needed to create the year of your dreams.