I believe I felt a collective sigh of relief when 2016 left and 2017 made its grand entrance. The new year is filled with so much hope, promise, and delight. Yet, I was disappointed when I opened Facebook the other day and one person stated that 2017 is already proving to be just like 2016 for them.
Really? One mishap, three days in, and they are ready to throw in the towel? This prompted me to look at the expectations people place on themselves in the new year. It’s heavy stuff. The new year isn’t magic fairy dust that takes all the ick away. What it does do, though, is provide a specific time of conscious improvement.
I attended a workshop yesterday at Center for Spiritual Living (CSL), Carson City. This little center, located in a bank of storage spaces off highway 50, is a diamond in the rough. My takeaway was this. Resolutions fail because of the shame attached to them.
Think about your resolution. If it’s like most people’s, it is about a trait or habit you want to get rid of or a way you don’t want to be. I quit the resolution game years ago and switched to themes. Those themes are positive in nature. Here are some examples in the above graph of how to flip resolutions into positive themes.
Themes bring about consciousness. My theme this year is flying in the face of fear. Flying = Taking Action
The workshop I did solidified my tendency to procrastinate. Here’s the old way versus new way of dealing with this change.
Old Way: New Year’s Resolution = Stop Procrastinating
Oh there I go again. I just put off washing my car. Guess that one is blown. = Back to old way. All or nothing mindset.
Last year, my theme was self-care. Did I always put myself first? Nope. Did I do it more than in 2015? Absolutely. So, was it successful in creating change? Yes, it was.
When I flip my Stop Procrastinating resolution, I realize what I really want. I want to take inspired action and stop second guessing myself when I make decisions. The consciousness worked fast. I started hemming and hawing about going to Zumba class. It’s cold. It’s snowing. I’m sore from yoga. The excuses roll fast.
Step One: I recognized I was about to second guess my inspired action.
Step Two: I praised myself for catching myself doing it.
Step Three: I took the inspired action and did not second guess myself.
Step Four: I observed the result. I had a lot of fun and I got to see a good friend.
This leads to the pay off. It was reinforced at CSL there was a payoff to my procrastination. I needed to let go of that. But I also needed to honor the payoff of catching myself and doing the right thing. By observing the result, I observe and honor the payoff. This acts as fuel the next time I want to put something off.
It’s not a resolution. It’s a solution.
This week’s exercise: Flip your resolution and develop a theme you can become conscious of in 2017. Post what it is below. If you need support, I’m always here – particularly for companies that need to create change.
EMBRACE CHANGE IN 2017
THIS FRIDAY – REGISTER NOW - January 6, 2017: “Vision Board and Statements Workshop” – Gaia Wellness and Yoga, Carson City, NV: 6:30 pm – $20/Adults, $10/Ages 10-18. All materials provided. Learn more and purchase your ticket in advance here.
January 21, 2017: Paradise Salon Spa and Wellness Fair – 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. – Paradise Salon Spa and Wellness
What Works Coaching
Diane Dye Hansen is the Chief Inspiration Officer of What Works Coaching, a business coaching and marketing services firm based in Carson City. She has 20 years of experience working with top corporations, growing businesses, motivated entrepreneurs, and individuals hungry for a fresh start. Diane holds a Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Marketing from Cal State San Bernardino. She is also a candidate for a Master’s degree in Communications Management from the University of Southern California. Her column appears every Monday, and sometimes Tuesday, in Carson Now.