New Year  New YOU!

Making a New Year’s resolution is a time-honoured tradition; why then is it so hard to keep this annual promise?  By publishing it perhaps!  Here goes:  “I vow to tackle my ‘Inbox’ email messages daily, to eat only locally grown vegetables, to meditate daily, to journal regularly, and be a little kinder to my mate.”  Albeit the list is wide and varied it seems reasonable, doesn’t it? 

If you are like me, creating a daily “To Do List” is easy.  Developing a new lifelong habit is where the challenge begins.  Here’s the good news - breaking a bad habit is no more difficult than building a healthy new one.

Considering that we learn new skills or habits through repetition, it is wise to do a little ‘crystal balling’ to get super clear about the skill or habit we want to embody.  If not, we may end up getting the same disappointing results.

It is a bit like writing a business plan on a personal level.  Marie, my mentor, instructed me wisely, she said, “Think about what you want your life to look and feel like in five years and then figure out how you can design the appropriate steps to measure your success along the way.”  For me, it will feel like I am more on top of things and able to handle the little stresses of owning a small business, be healthier, be more constructive with my time, and be able to give and receive more with gratitude and grace.

What exactly do you envision your life to be in five years?  How about putting on your current list some of the stepping stones that will take you down that pathway NOW?  Maybe you want to be a more open and flexible individual or maybe you would like to learn how to be better at letting go of the small stuff. 

Yoga, practicing just a little bit on a regular basis, as Swami Kripalu encouraged with love in his heart, may be where you will find the grand awakening you are seeking.  My best wishes for your journey as you carve out a path to the New YOU! 

Musings is a way for me to share my journey.  I welcome your comments.  Contact me at maureen.fallis@sympatico.ca if you feel like it.