You are HERE because
You’ve been making resolutions every year and they don’t seem to come true
You make resolutions but you don’t tell anyone you have made them
You want to be in action and create something newly for yourself next year
Resolution means a firmed decision to do or not to do something.
I know some people declare that “they never” but some time long ago or maybe recently - you’ve made one resolution in your mind like losing a couple of pounds (weight), resolve to be nicer to cats or to yoga more.
I used to make new year resolutions where it was a long list of todos that I write in my journal, then I never bother looking at until the end of the year, and 99% of time, they don’t get done or they were done but not complete.
“Intention without action is useless.”
And then I realised that because I hid it (in my journal), I didn’t make myself accountable. And my resolutions were not specific and measurable, more like wishes rather than actionable steps.
My aha moment was with my “SAVE MONEY” goal, which I’ve had as one of my resolutions/or my goal for as long as I can remember. When I was 30, I was determined to buy my own place and be financially independent - so my goal became “SAVE MONEY TO BUY MY OWN APARTMENT” . I made a timeline for that to happen and I was a proud home owner at 35.
There started my actionable goal setting journey.
1 year later, I did my Stotts Mat Pilates training followed by Power Vinyasa teacher training.
A few months later, I quit my job to teach yoga and pilates full time because my goal was to become a better teacher and the only way to do that is to teach as much as I can.
Now 3 years later, I’m on a pathway to becoming a Baptiste certified Yoga teacher; AND I’m getting married!!!
Every year now I re-create my New Year's Resolution - because it gives me a purpose to move forward in life.
Honestly speaking, I don’t make much money as a yoga teacher and sometimes I lose my sense of worth and independence because I am dependant on others to survive. The feminist in me is rebelling and that’s why I try to make something out of myself through creating AMI Power Yoga.
So where I can, having an actionable resolution helps me find my pockets of Joy. where I can look back and see how much I have achieved, what are my wins inspite of my Lows where I can find gratitude in what has happened.
So here are my 7 steps to Keeping your New Year's Resolution and thus creating an Amazing 2018 …………..
7 steps to Keeping your New Year's Resolution
Start a journal
Write down your Highs and your Lows in 2017
Do 2018 Brain Dump
Select 1-3 goals and create a commitment statement
Break each goal into smaller, short-term goals.
Add accountability
Mid-year Check-Up
1. Start a journal
You need a journal!
Writing things down helps to declutter the mind. Whenever I feel stuck, I will sit quietly with eyes closed and focus on nothing but my breath.
If I am short of time, I’ll count to 10 breaths, and if I have the time, I’ll sit for 10mins. Then I open my journal, and write down whatever comes up.
Alot of successful people journal like Robin Sharma. Oprah Winfrey, Steve Jobs, Arianna Huffington to name a few.
2. Write Down your Highs and Lows in 2017
What we are doing here is to review what you have done or has happened this year. Not what did not happen nor be in judgement. Open your journal to a fresh page, and start with the blank page on the left. On that page , draw a line in the middle. At the top, write down 2017 and on the left column write HIGH and on the right, write LOW.
Under the HIGH, write down all the wonderful things you’ve done, seen, experienced that lit you up. Under the LOW, write down what didn’t work or did not happen or made you sad.
3. Do a 2018 Brain Dump
This is the important part. On same fresh page, you have the blank page on the right - write 2018 in bold and BRAIN DUMP.
Set a timer for 5 mins and start writing whatever comes up, no matter how elusive and impossible it sounds, or how silly it is. Just it down. No self-editing. Just write freely. If you are done, there’s still time, keep writing. If you need more time, don’t worry you can add on to it.
**I did this mid last year. (Look at this POST on what it looks like.)
What awesome about having done a brain dump previously is I can review it and see what I can tick off the list (from your new 2017 Wins) and if there’s any thing that has not been done that I can let go of, and It needs to be done - add it to my current Brain Dump List.
4. Select 1-3 goals and create a Commitment Statement
Now we get to the harder work.
Highlight your top 3 goals, and make sure it’s not too easy.
Sure, it feels great to cross something off our checklist and know we’ve completed what we set out to accomplish, but if we lowball our goals, they aren’t motivating enough.
Why only 3? Because too many goals spoil the broth, and you can easily change this anytime of the year, when priority shifts. Right here right now, what is important that needs to be done within the next 3-6 months.
I commit to be a certified Baptiste Yoga teacher by May 2018
I commit to save every $5 that comes into my hands
I commit to be be in pure listening of Thom whenever we are together.
5. Break each goal into smaller, short-term goals
Write each goal on a page, with a space underneath or a page of its own. Then write down actionable steps you can take to make it work. There is no right or wrong answers. Write from a space of if anything is possible, anything is possible.
Most importantly the goal has to be specific and measurable.
I commit to be a certified Baptiste Yoga teacher by May 2018.
AND
*Speak only breath and nothing else for all my classes in January 2018 * Set and Stick to one intention for the class
* Stop being overly busy
* Be a yes for the students self-discovery
* Do my video on the 29th January
(FYI I am currently an inspired Baptiste Yoga teacher and in the pathway to be Baptiste certified. The steps are to complete Level 1, 2, Art of Assisting; write 5 essays and video a 1 hour class. Right now, I have sent my 2nd video and I have been given feedback to practice for my 3rd video)
6. Add accountability
Share your goals!! Here I am sharing my goals with you. Sharing keeps me motivated to do what I set out to do.
7. Mid-Year Check-Up
This part is super important. I have a reminder on June 30th to celebrate my wins, and ask myself what worked and what didn’t work, and should I rethink my goals.
xo
I would love to hear about your resolutions goals so I can support you!! Share in the comments below or take a picture of your journal and share it on instagram and tag @cuteyogapants.