Happy New Year!
With the beginning of the new year, I’ve heard a lot of talk about wanting success in 2016! Most people set resolutions, but there is a different way.
Here are five steps to success in the new year.
Step 1- Define Success
How do you define success? Is it a job title? Money? Fame? Or is it more in your personal life? A loving partner? 2.5 kids and your house in the suburbs? Ripped abs? Or maybe all you really want is green smoothie every day. What is success to you?
Step 2- Pause and Thank yourself
Stop for a moment and pause. Getting still always helps inner wisdom flow freely.
Place your hand on your heart. Thank yourself for just one thing from last year. It could be the one day you got out of bed early and exercised. Or the time you held your tongue when Uncle Hank made a comment about your job.
Step 3- Name it
What do you really want this year? What is your inner desire? (Hint: Stillness helps with this step too)
Got it? Good.
Step 4- Get Clear on the Why
Now, tell me WHY you want it. Make it a meditation of sorts. Why do I want ___________ (promotion, new car, relationship)? Get really clear. Do you want the promotion because it will finally make you feel good enough? Or will the new car bring you admiration? If you finally have a partner, will you feel lovable?
Step 5- Find the Feeling
There is always an underlying feeling under what you want. Find THAT feeling from step 4.
Here’s the deal. What is underneath the longing and the resolutions we often make this time of year is the feeling. Martha Beck says we the feeling is what we really want, and sometimes the ‘thing’ we are going after won’t get us that feeling. The promotion/car/partner are our attempts to get to the feeling. Only it doesn’t always work.
You want to feel valuable. You want to feel admired. You want to feel lovable.
Go straight for the feeling.
What can you do TODAY that will make you feel valued, admired, and/or Lovable? Find your feeling and take a small step. If you want freedom and maybe what feels like freedom to you is a green juice. There! In 10 minutes you have a small taste of that feeling. Move toward that feeling!
I’ll give you an example from my own experience. I want to feel spacious. This week I was scheduling Reiki training, but I looked at my schedule and I felt– constricted, tight, rushed. Uh-oh. That was *not* the feeling I was going for in my life! So I asked her if we could find another date. Guess what? It wasn’t a problem and we moved it to a date that felt spacious for me. Fantastic! I am not beating myself toward a goal or a resolution, I’m taking small steps each day, feeling-good, and doing what I love. And that is where the magic happens.
What feeling(s) are you wanting in the new year?
Peace and Success,
p.s.- If you are in the Athens area, I’m offering a workshop on January 9th, Sacred Success at the Healing Arts Centre. We’ll redefine success, find stillness, find the feeling, and set intentions for 2016. Find out more on Facebook!
