How To Keep Your Resolutions

We are nearly 3 weeks into the New Year.  How many resolutions have you made? Have stuck to them or are you beating yourself up for not even getting started?   Rather than feeling defeated for not sticking to your goals, take a different approach and start over.  Every day is a new opportunity to begin anew.  Every year I have gone through the highs of expectation and hope and the lows of defeat and failure.

So this year I took a different approach.  I got real.  It is hard enough to change one thing never mind several.  So I asked myself what was the real goal for me – the big picture resolution.  For me it was to embrace a healthier lifestyle.  There is a lot in that one goal.  So then I broke it down into sections.  For me, embracing a healthier lifestyle meant:  making changes in my diet, finding the right balance of exercise, knowing when I could realistically accomplish the exercise I needed and choosing on home, gym, classes or a combination.  I had to get really honest with myself and choose what was realistic for me, what would I actually do.  Even though I haven’t completely embraced the whole picture, I am taking steps, recognizing the accomplishments and holding the total vision as a possibility. 

Today I challenge you to do the same.  What are you realistically willing to do?  At the end of this post, I walk you through some steps to help you create a resolution that works for you and to clear away whatever might hold you back.

My resolution of making changes to experience vibrant health has many layers to it. I have been working on the food part for a year, slowly embracing changes.  I have tried in the past to make lots of changes at once and that did not work for me.  So little by little I made changes.  I began working with Dr. Robyn Giard, ND of Starry Brook Natural Medicine.  Dr. Giard has helped me to understand some of my health challenges and the changes I needed to incorporate in my diet, supplements, and exercise.

I have also had the support of Erin Holt Health.  I have done several of Erin’s cleanses in the past two years.  With each cleanse, I embraced a certain aspect of the whole food, delicious, nutritious approach to cleansing my body and making sustainable changes.  She has also helped understand how certain foods are wreaking havoc on my body. 

Today I am more than half way through a winter cleanse offered by Erin Holt Health through 3 Bridges Yoga.  I have been gearing up for this, so this time I can embrace the whole program.  It is only 12 days, but many of the elements are already in place, so I feel more confident about committing to this cleanse. 

            “This is not a drastic fast or a crash diet - there are no extreme measures involved. Short-term deprivation does not achieve long-term results. When we start from an extreme place and seek extreme results, we set ourselves up for extreme disappointment. The idea is to support, rather than shock, your system. You will be eating whole foods and creating healthy habits in order to nourish and rejuvenate the body. This cleanse includes a simplified diet of whole, fresh, unprocessed foods that bring the body back into balance.“ ~ Erin Holt ~ from Winter Cleanse 2014.

In addition to the food component, I want to embrace an exercise regime that I enjoy and commit to doing. In the beginning of January, I wrote down my goal of establishing a daily exercise routine.  I made a list of potential pitfalls and excuses of why I couldn’t do this.  I wrote down why I thought I should have this goal and why I wanted this goal. Then I tapped using EFT from the script I created from this exercise.  I was so surprised at what unfolded for me and what I released.  Since then it has been much easier for me to get on the treadmill, practice yoga at home, incorporating weights, and get to some yoga classes.  I am not on the daily schedule I want and I am okay with that for now. 

So whether your goals this year include eating healthier, exercising, being more organized, quitting smoking, establishing a mediation practice, blogging or creating video, use this tapping exercise to help clear what may be making it difficult for you to stick to your resolutions.

Let’s get started!

Grab a piece a paper, a journal, or blank page on your computer screen. 

1.            Choose 1 goal

2.             I would like to ______________________

3.             I want to this because ______________________ (list as many things as apply) 

4.            Do I want it as much as I think I SHOULD want it?

5.            What is in my way or why do I think I can’t or won’t do this?

6.            Tap through your points saying what you have written.

7.              Notice what happens.  Does a memory surface?  Do you feel more empowered?  Do you feel worse?  Continue to tap on any new thoughts or feelings that you have until you feel calm and centered. 

8.            Notice how things are shifting for you as the days go on.  Do you find it easier to take action toward your goal?  Do you feel good about wanting to achieve your goal?

If you are new to tapping, you can download your free guide here.

If you need more support in releasing feelings or moving forward, you can also join me at Tappy Hour, live and virtually.  Click here for the schedule.