Burford Designs

Goals 2011

Having already written my letter to myself I am now moving on to typing up and listing my goals for 2011.  I don’t have a problem callings them goals or resolutions probably because I tend to complete most of the ones on my list.

I thought that I would share an article by Christine Kane dealing with the issue of resolutions and how to make a difference with your now.

 

How to Make 2011 Your BEST Year Yet

The regulars at the gym were joking about it early in December.

"Have a good workout now," they said. "Cuz you know what it's gonna be like in about three weeks!"

That's because all the folks who have made their New Year's Resolutions will show up. They'll stick around for a while. Then, around Valentine's Day, the regulars get to have their old gym back.

The hosts of a satellite radio talk show were discussing the most common New Year's Resolutions and the average success rate. Among the most common were Get Organized, Be More Spiritual, Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, and Spend More time with Family.

I don't know about you, but this kind of To-Do List approach to life-transformation does NOT inspire me. And it doesn't surprise me that the success rates were low.

Why Resolutions Don't Work

The reason most resolutions don't work is that they address only one level of your life.

The DO level.

It's the DO-HAVE-BE model.

It goes like this: "I will DO this thing." (i.e., Lose weight) "So I can HAVE this other thing" (Self-Esteem) and I can BE this thing. (Confident.)

The average New Year's Resolution doesn't address the core of the issue:

The "BE" level.

The best order for creating positive change in your life is the BE-DO-HAVE model. This means you start from the BE level. When you begin changing on the BE level of your life, then the DO level and the HAVE level follow more easily.

When you start only on the DO level, then the blocks on the BE level will often become the obstacles you can't overcome.

How to Tap into the True Power of your Intention

Several years ago, my friend Kathy and I decided that, instead of making resolutions, we would pick a word that would guide us throughout the year. It would be our touchstone. It would remind us of living our lives at the BE level.

This didn't mean that we didn't take action. It meant that our actions were inspired from the BE level. In fact, I took more action than ever with this new approach!

For several years now, I've blogged about this inspiring way to begin the year. The response has been huge. So have the success rates! I regularly hear from people who have created big changes in their lives because they focused on one word.

How to Choose A Word

Look through the list below. Get quiet and listen to your Wise Self. Pick a word.

Then, hold that word in your mind throughout the year, and let your word guide you to take action.

Here's an example:

Let's say you're one of the many people who would normally choose "Get Organized." You're tired of chaos and clutter. So, you think, "I need to get organized. That'll be my Resolution."

But then you read this article. You decide to try this new approach.

You sit with your clutter. You spend a few days pondering words. You realize in an "Ah-Ha!" moment that you hold on to lots of things. You're scared to let go.

So you choose the word "Release" because it inspires you in a bigger way than "Get organized."

So, every time you approach your clutter you remind yourself of that word. "Release," you say softly. You start to let the clutter go.

Eventually, you realize that you're still holding on to lots more than just physical clutter. You realize that you hold onto resentment at old relationships. "Release," you remind yourself.

You realize that holding on is affecting your diet and health. "Release" applies to some of the extra weight you've gained as well. Throughout the year, you can see clearly how much you hold on. "Release" is your touchstone. It grows you throughout the year. It becomes your guiding force, not your harsh standard.

Your clutter became your teacher simply because you shifted your intent towards it. This wouldn't have happened if you'd opted only to "Get Organized."

What word to choose?

Many people know immediately which word resonates with them. For others, a little contemplation is required.

As you read through the list of words, see if one stands out. It's tempting to choose four or five, believing that you can do it all! (Or that you're so messed up, you can't possibly narrow the mess down to one!) I recommend that if you can't choose just one, choose no more than two.

One is ideal. It gives you focus. If you master that one word, you can choose another one in June.

Compassion

Delight

Generosity

Effortlessness

Wealth

Gratitude

Abundance

Creativity

Willingness

Change

Growth

Freedom

Mastery

Kindness

Health

Presence

Acceptance

Courage

Confidence

Self-Love

Action

Forgiveness

Forgive

Release

Trust

Knowing

Patience

Friendship

Fun

Grace

Laughter

Love

Expansion

Exploration

Adventure

Openness

Discipline

Awe

Awareness

Risk

Gentleness

Choice

Spirit

Prayerfulness

Power

Allow

Artfulness

Attention

Beauty

Joy

Focus

Ritual

Heal

Order

Clarity

Pioneer

Peace

Laziness

No

Yes

Deliberateness

Commitment

Savor

Integrity

Listen

Note: Click here to download a powerful journal writing tool that I created. It's called The Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool. Give yourself the gift of connecting your hand to your heart and write about what you want to create in the coming year. This tool works! I promise!

*~*~*

Christine Kane is the Mentor to Women Who are Changing the World. She helps women uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly LiveCreative eZine goes out to over 12,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a F.R.E.E. subscription at http://christinekane.com.

 

Happy New Year!

New Year Traditions

In addition to the end of the year movie watching there are a few other things that I like to do before I call it a wrap.  One thing I like to do is go over goals I’d like to accomplish throughout the next year.  I have two different categories of goals.  The first category consists of what I would call major goals; big things that can’t be completed in just a small amount of time.  The second category is minor goals; things that I would like to do but are more likely to be completed quicker, for example reading a certain number of novels by years end.

Another thing that I like to do to end my year is write a letter to myself, one that is to be opened and read on December 31^st the following year.  I write about things that happened during the current year and I write about things that I would like to have completed and done during the year that I am writing about.  I also give myself some encouraging words to read.  Usually this letter is no more then a page or two and it gets folded up and put in an envelope until it’s time to read it on New Year’s Eve.  I have letters that go back for several years, it’s always fun to reminisce and reread the letters and see how far I have come.

A Letter to Self

I really enjoy having this time between Christmas and New Year’s Day off every year because it warrants me the time to do all of the major and minor things I need and want to do to in order to begin the new year fresh.  For the last several years (probably the last eight years) I’ve have spent one evening during this week to write a letter to my future self.  Usually it is what I want the next year to be… my hopes, dreams, aspirations, however I write it as if it has already happened.

 

I wrote my first one when I was in high school and would periodically write one now and then, but as I mentioned above, for the past eight years or so I have been faithfully writing this letter.  On New Year’s Eve I read the letter that I wrote the previous year… without regret, without judgment.

It’s fun to look over all of my past letters since I only sporadically write in a journal and other than my blogging I don’t really have anything where I write my thoughts and feelings down so that I can read them later. 

 

So tonight, I will turn on some music, go to my room with a nice mug of hot cocoa and write a letter to myself, and then I’ll seal it in an envelope with a note stating not to open until December 31, 2010.

Healthy Directions Update

Although this is more for me than for you, I figured it was about time for another Healthy Directions update.  For those not in the know, Healthy Directions is the program at my work that I am co-chairing.  It’s to help the employees make healthier choices and support them however we can.

 

One part that I am heading up is the walking program…it is an eight week program to get people moving and exercising.  With the recent weather (snow) and the weather this past winter (even more snow) it has been difficult to actually get out and walk.  I created this program to encourage everyone to at least make an effort to get out and walk/exercise and now that the weather is significantly nicer to really get moving.  I write and send an email every week as encouragement and put in different challenges and tips depending on the individual’s activity level.  We are just starting week seven and will be finishing up next week.  I choose the end date to coincide with Bloomsday, a 12k race held in Spokane and several members will be participating in the race having used the program as their training regimen.

There are two other programs that the Healthy Directions Committee is sponsoring, one of them is the biggest loser challenge and there are still five weeks left for that one.  Then there is the 90-day healthy directions challenge where the participants are giving guidelines and changes to make over a 90-day period.  Some of these changes include drinking one more glass of water a day or eliminating one bad food choice or eating a whole grain breakfast at least three times a week. 

 

I’ve been doing well with all three programs.  I haven’t weighed myself lately but plan on doing so later this week when Mommy comes down to the office.  (We weigh there because the committee has a really nice body analysis scale that measures weight, BMI, fat percentage, etc.)  It’ll be fun to see what’s changed in the past six weeks or so.

Planning It Out

For those that have seen the Ashton Kutcher Cameron Diaz movie "What Happens in Vegas" I tend to be a little like Joy (Cameron's character) especially when it comes to planning to plan.  Usually I can just sit down with a pad of paper and a pen and crank out a plan for whatever I'm doing.  However when I deal with Mommy she freaks out about lists, planning, and the like so if it's just sprung upon her we have to plan to plan...a date has to be set so that she can mentally prepare for whatever it is that we need to plan. 

Because of this I feel the need to schedule time to prepare my calendar, list of things to do, make, get, etc.  I enjoy being organized and organizing my organizing.

That's how I plan on spending my day today...planning, organizing, cleaning so that I can begin 2009 with a fresh start.

 

Happy Monday!!