Creating Positive Changes in Your Life for the New Year

Creating Positive Changes in Your Life for the New Year

Hi Friends,

With another hectic holiday season behind us we begin a new year, our eyes and ears open for change, all of us poised and ready to see what will be written on the clean slate of 2011. As a country we seem to be in a period of great transition, collectively focused on the economy, employment, the environment, foreign affairs, including the war on terrorism, health, wellness, and many other pressing issues at hand.

If you have followed tradition, chances are that you have already taken that momentary pause before the New Year to assess your life and determine what changes need to be made in your personal world. Many people make New Year's resolutions and create a short (sometimes long) list of things that they hope to improve, working at them diligently for a few weeks or perhaps even a month, until the effort becomes too tedious and the novelty of the whole thing has worn off. Why is it that New Year's resolutions never seem to stick? Perhaps we really don't want change as much as we tell ourselves that we do.

Change is a tricky thing. It often involves deep introspection and the retraining of long-standing negative habits. We tend to resist change because it feels uncomfortable and pushes us outside of our cozy little comfort zone. We like feeling comfortable and in control, and even though we may realize that a habit or a person or a job may not be the best thing for us, we still prefer it to the unknown because it is recognizable, familiar and safe.

Creating profound change in our lives takes courage and perseverance. These large-scale changes usually take an enormous amount of effort and a great deal of time to implement successfully, such as quitting smoking, or starting an exercise program or a diet to lose weight. Because our habits are often intertwined with our identity, we feel scared or nervous about who we will be once we have let them go. These habits have become coping skills, even useful little crutches for us to lean on, and though we know that they are not best for us, they still bring us comfort when times get tough or when we feel stressed or unhappy.

Resistance is a natural part of the process of change. An important thing to remember about resistance is that it exists entirely in the mind. We tell ourselves stories about why we need our comfortable yet negative habits, about how they serve a purpose or fulfill a need in our lives. We shudder at the thought of giving up fast food or exercising everyday or having to say no to that beer we want when we are out with our friends. Change scares us. Period.

One of the beautiful things about life is that change can happen in an instant. We can realize that we want to do something differently and then, in that crucial deciding moment, we can recognize our resistance and make a different choice. When we begin to understand that life is lived in each moment as it occurs, not in the future, then we only have the present moment to deal with. Resistance just becomes a thought we have as we are making a choice, a thought that we can face and question and ultimately overrule.

Don't let resistance and your fear of the unknown make your choices for you this year. Allow your awareness of the present moment to open you up to the next step, a new direction, or an unfamiliar path. Take a risk. Choose something new. Do something different. Don't be afraid to live life moment by moment and see where it takes you. Life can be either a daring adventure or a repetitive routine meant to keep you safe and cozy in your comfort zone. Creating or embracing change is really only about one thing- what you choose to believe in each moment.

The good news is it's all up to you.

As we approach the start of a brand new year, open lines of communication between those you love and allow thoughts and ideas to flow. Gaining positive self esteem within one’s life doesn't have to be a painful process although expect some painful realities to come to light. Deal with them, move on and laugh more. Honest, real and committed citizens who want the best for their families and communities. An urgency for change is what we must feel deep within our bones to work toward having the best life possible going forward. This is why positive self esteem is so important. Without it, we settle. By addressing our issues at home and in our nation, it will make us stronger, more able and unified. There is a saying that rings true in my life (no matter how difficult it is): when the thought of changing is harder than change itself, we change. Together if we make a concerted effort to make one positive shift this year, the results will be monumental. At the very least we've collectively contributed to the greater good. Certainly a better place than where we stand today.

New Years 2011!!

Its like a new Sunrise… of Hope, of Prosperity, of Happiness
Its like a new Beginning… of Thoughts, of Words, or Actions
Its like a new Day… of Energy, of Strength, of Ideas
Its like a bunch of whole new things… of Prayers, of Friends, and of Love.

Your Turn!!

I welcome everyone to become a part of this 2011 resolution revolution!

Most New Years’ resolutions are about fixing what is broken, making changes, and trying to be better, greater, more than what you are right now. But what if, this year, you add this resolution to your list……………..

“I will PROMOTE PEACE and NON-VIOLENCE starting with MYSELF. I will PROMOTE RESPECT for HUMAN LIFE starting with MYSELF. I will HAVE NO FEAR by acting according to my HIGHEST SELF and INNER GUIDANCE.”

If we all do this, then collectively our Resolution Revolution will cause ripples of hope, joy, gratitude and beauty through the entire Universe. Stop “not having enough time” and MAKE TIME. Stop, “being so worried about the economy” and MAKE ENERGY. Stop, “being so mad about the wars” and CREATE PEACE. Stop acting on your fears and INSIST on ACTING from YOUR HIGHEST SELF.

Let’s walk on our own two feet, feel the earth beneath us,
reach for the stars and make 2011 the year we really LIVE!

You might lose weight, get a better job, stop fighting with your partner or screaming at your kids, really start practicing the oboe and get your finances in order—- or you might not. But, I guarantee that if you make an honest pledge to this positive collective resolution, this will be one of the best years of your life.

What will your resolutions be? What changes would you like to make?

Happy New Year 2011!
<3
Alternative Health Solutions of NJ
Michelle Leonard




EAT BETTER. PLAY HARDER. LIVE HEALTHIER. LEARN EASIER. WELLNESS IS A WAY OF LIFE! FEEL SOUL GOOD! http://www.facebook.com/AlternativeHealthSolutionsofNJ

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Have a Wonderful day


Michelle Leonard


:0)

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