The New Year typically kicks off with you making resolutions and lists of everything in your life that isn’t going well, from having too much weight, to having too little savings. Then you make list of goals, outlining your intentions.
Did you know statistics have proven that while approximately 40% of Americans make resolutions, only 8% to 10% achieve their goals? Since the odds appear to be stacked against you, why not take a different approach this year?
Rather than focusing on the areas of your life you would like to improve upon, how about you focus on the areas of your life that are going well? It has been my experience that you may easily find fault with something about yourself, something negative, and do a really good job of beating yourself up because of it.
However, finding or noticing an attribute or something you feel good or positive about is often more difficult to come by. That’s not because you are devoid of it, but because you may have a difficult time acknowledging your goodness, or receiving a compliment.
I believe what you focus on grows, so let’s focus on your positive qualities and build upon them.
Here’s an exercise you can do in the comfort and privacy of your own home. You may need to schedule some time just for you, but hey, you can do that! We’re going to search out your strongest attributes.
Begin by finding a notebook and pen, walking to a mirror and taking a good, long look at yourself in that mirror. I guarantee the child who is looking at you, that child who has been with you through thick and thin all these years, is still right there and raring to go.
You’ve made it this far, so you must have tenacity, determination. Write that down. I bet you will also see kindness and compassion. Write that down. You may find creativity, passion, and excitement twinkling in them, there eyes… yup… write that down, too.
Remain looking in the mirror for as long as you can, jotting down your strengths, keeping in mind you may begin to feel a tad uncomfortable. This, by the way, is a good sign, because change takes place outside of your comfort zone.
When you feel you have completed the exercise, (and you will know when you have) thank yourself and take a look at your list. Read it. Feel it.
Choose which areas you will build upon in 2019 by making a list from your strongest attributes. For example, if you found kindness and compassion, think about ways of improving upon that. You may choose to volunteer at an animal rescue shelter, or visit the elderly on an on-going basis. You may decide to treat people with a little more compassion, or exercise more patience with yourself and others.
If creativity is shimmering, you may finally want to take on a new hobby, perhaps one you never thought you had time for, like painting, or dancing, or photography.
Do you get the picture? Good. Then go ahead and create those achievable goals. Make it fun. Make it easy. Make it achievable. Go forth and let’s change those statistics. I believe in you!
© 2019 ALL Rights Reserved. Listen To Thyself with Diane Marie Ford. Share this article to your heart’s content, but please do not use it without my written permission. Thank you.