The Organized Approach to Your Best Year Yet!

A New Year has arrived! I don’t know about you, but I am always excited about the enormous potential of the coming 12 months. A new year is like a clean slate, ready to be written and molded any way we choose. This thought fills me with an overall feeling of hope and excited anticipation of good things to come.nnAs YOU contemplate the year ahead, do you feel the possibilities? Do you energetically start committing to all sorts of resolutions? Is there a small voice in the back of your head, however, expressing concern about your stick-to-itiveness? What is the cause of this?nnMy conclusion: I, like many of you, often make resolutions based on what I think I “should” do: lose weight, exercise more, even get more organized (yes, I too have areas to work on!). Despite the fact that these are all worthy intentions, resolutions made from a place of “duty” end up feeling like a chore and are abandoned in a few short weeks. As a result, the year comes and goes and not much has changed.nnHow then, to make this your BEST Year Yet?nnMy proposal: This year, pay attention to your heart and what your soul is asking for. If your resolutions truly resonate with you, you will be much more likely to accomplish them. Think about it, if you are focusing and spending time on goals and activities that truly make your heart sing, all those other things (losing weight, etc.) will naturally occur as you become your BEST self.nnHere are some suggestions to get you started:nnStep 1: Decide what you want. Take quite time to contemplate and truly decide what you want. Really vision and feel what your ideal year will be like. nnWant to have some fun? Pick a mini-theme for each month. Remember this year is about what your heart and soul desires. Consider dedicating each month to something that has been on your list, but has been pushed aside: learn to dance, do some hiking, read a particular genre of book, learn to make bread, organize your wardrobe!nnWhatever you decide, write it down. The act of writing down the beautiful picture you hold in your mind will make it more real and will be something concrete to inspire you. Be as creative as you like: add photos, images, color ~ anything that inspires you and brings you joy.nnStep 2: Clear the Way. Now take a look at your vision. What possessions, activities, or even thoughts currently in your life no longer fit this picture? These outdated items are now clutter and are getting in the way of your ideal life. Get rid of them. This may sound harsh, but the goal here is to clear the way for your vision.nnStep 3: Gift Yourself with Proper Tools. Now that you’ve decided what you want and removed everything from your plate that is no longer useful, it is time to ADD the tools you will need to accomplish what you DO want. This may mean adding more personal/quite time to your schedule, buying a work-out outfit that you feel great wearing, creating a creative project corner that inspires you, or signing up for a class or two.nnTake these simple, yet huge, 3 steps and you will be well on your way to experiencing Your Best Year Yet!