After the hustle of the holiday season, I look forward to the quiet contemplation of setting my new year resolutions. The prospect of a fresh start makes me feel energized and hopeful. Even the most challenging year will end; there's something cathartic about letting it go and manifesting your new year.
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I love the process of mapping my intentions. The end result is a clear picture of where I want to be in a year. If approached with a positive mindset, it can be a wonderfully inspiring experience and not just something you check off a list.
I was a little surprised to learn that less than 8% of those who made a resolution felt like they kept it. Although, I have certainly had years where I simply went through the motions and didn't think through what would be required to keep the commitment. For me, the real work is determining what I'm passionate about achieving.
One of the challenges of being an optimistic person is that everything is possible. When I start the process, I let my mind wander, and everything is on the table. I have found through trial and error that while everything may be possible, it's not necessarily attainable in the next 12 months.
To get to what's really important, I look at my initial list and start writing down the steps that would be required of me over the next 12 months to meet that commitment. I find at this step that my resolutions fall into 1 of 3 categories:
- Lots of energy-I can clearly envision this and the required steps.
- No passion- I may need to do this but, can't even be bothered to write down the steps.
- More research is required- I'm not clear about the steps.
I break them into these categories because it helps clarify the energy, time, and investment, related to each resolution. My list gets substantially shorter at this point. Even an eternal optimist knows that resources are a limited commodity. Finally, I document my resolutions and share them with interested parties to increase accountability.
I would love to hear more about your process. What's on your list this year? Share your resolutions on https://www.instagram.com/seaworthynaturals/ or https://www.facebook.com/seaworthynaturals/ to be entered to win a complimentary product sample.