Why New Year Resolutions Don’t Work!

It is that time again, January 1, the start of a New Year. Traditionally this is the day we make resolutions for the coming year. “I vow to lose 15 pounds. I will quit smoking. I will eliminate unneeded costs from my budget.” Have you ever noticed that most of the verbs associated with resolutions are restrictive and negative: quit, stop, lose, eliminate, and reduce. This implies that you need to improve or fix something. New Year’s resolutions are a test in our discipline and willpower, but our excitement and commitment towards that goal typically fades and by March we don’t even remember what we set out on.

You can change your goals, you can have resolutions, but if you don’t change your mindset nothing matters. What if this year instead of a resolution, you have a REVOLUTION? Meaning a transformational action that will lead to breakthrough results, (aka an attitude adjustment or mindset change.)

Hold the phones. Change? Yes! People CAN change. Change is not easy and most people hate change, but by changing your attitude, you could be happier, more successful and have a better quality of life. You just have to be ready to embrace it. People who say they cannot change are those that don’t want to. So stop talking, start doing and get ready to make the best version of you in 2013!

Use these tips and techniques to get the New Year started off right. Ditch those resolutions and embrace gratitude, happiness and positivity, watch your life change before your eyes.

Think like you want to be: Think first, then do! Your thoughts create your future. Act your way to success. It is tough to be a happy, joyful and successful person if you don’t think that way.

Smile: Research shows that smiling has both positive psychological and physiological effects. As Abraham Lincoln said, “Happiness is a choice.” So put a smile on your face and you’re on your way.

Live in the NOW: Life is unfolding before your very eyes, as we speak, right NOW. Not tomorrow, not a month from now so be present in your daily life. Instead of always waiting for the future to come to you, recognize what is happening right in front of you. Mindfulness of living in the now will help you to realize you are not your thoughts; you instead become an onlooker of your thoughts moment to moment without passing judgment. Creating a nonjudgmental awareness of the present has many benefits such as reducing stress, boosting your immune system, reducing chronic pain, lowering blood pressure and can even help people cope with disease. Not to mention mindful people are happier and have more self-esteem than those always looking forward.

Change your Actions: “If you continue to perform the same today as yesterday, your results will be no better tomorrow.” How can you expect to change your attitude if you are not seeing positive changes? Solve problems in a new way; take a different approach to an everyday task. How does this make you feel? A positive attitude and seeing results will breed motivation to continue.

Change your Self-talk: Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head all day, everyday. These automatic thoughts can be either positive or negative. How do you talk to yourself? Are you consistently more negative? If so, it is time to change your self-talk. Positive thinking starts with positive self-talk. This does not mean that you ignore life’s difficulties and challenges, instead it will help you to approach them in a different way. Assume the best, instead of the worst in any situation. This will make you more positive and more productive.

Follow the Leader: Learn by example. Is there someone in your life who exemplifies the attitude you wish to embody? Follow their example.

Surround yourself with Like-minded people: Nothing is achievable with a negative mindset. Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” If you choose to surround yourself with others who are driven to succeed and have passion for their life and business, then you will be more likely to feel the same. The energy that exudes this type of person is catching. Hanging out with successful people breed’s success. If you talk positively, allow yourself to imagine the possibilities of future actions, use creativity to brainstorm and believe in yourself, the more likely you are to reach your goals. Research shows that you are more likely to reach new heights, at a faster rate by surrounding yourself with like-minded people and adopting their positive mindset.

Make Gratitude an Everyday Practice: Meister Eckhart said, “If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, “thank you,” that would suffice.” Did you know that by setting aside one minute out of your day to write down what you are grateful for, you would instantly raise your emotional wellbeing and feel at least 25 % happier? It is only one minute and one positive action with so much power. The act of giving thanks will help you realize how much good is in your life and allow you to reflect on that. Watch as positivity creeps its way into every aspect of your life, from family to business.

Let the past be in the past: Learning to let go of the past is one of the keys to overcoming disappointments in your life. Dwelling on past mistakes and failures year after year continues to add the weight of guilt and dwindling self worth on top of you. Each mistake should become an opportunity. Learn from them and then move on. It does no good to hold onto these disappointments. So let your past be in the past.

Take a Fresh Perspective: Sometimes we are stuck in our lives and the way we perceive our business, or ourselves keeping us from changing or moving forward. Instead of allowing our perspective to become a limitation, take a fresh perspective. Identify how you are feeling towards a particular thing in your life, the relive it and identify what you can do to fix it. By evaluating these things in your life and making steps to change your perspective you will take on a whole new attitude.

Be patient: Change can be a slow process. It is important to recognize this. If you don’t see immediate results from your new attitude or mindset, hat is OK. You will. “Good things come to those who wait.”

Implement these everyday to make 2013, a year filled with gratitude, happiness and success. Don’t be bogged down by resolutions; be uplifted by the REVOLUTION going on within YOU!

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Keri Murphy and the Inspired Living team is on a mission to empower people to use their unique talents in a way that allows them to Dream, Live and BE all that is possible through speaking, coaching, celebrity interviews and original on-line content. Get Inspired at inspiredliving.tv