I Believe More is Possible

It’s nearly the end of  January and I’m usually beating myself up about the demise of at least one of my New Year’s resolutions; sullenly staring my “failures” in the face, feeling disappointed, frustrated, deflated.

But this year is different. This year I didn’t make any resolutions, and I’ve started the year off with a bang, feeling more energised, more driven and more focused than ever before. Don’t get me wrong, I was all set to assemble the usual list of things to give up/take up/stop doing/start doing, until I treated myself to a copy of Leonie Dawson’s Create Your shining Year Workbook. Completing the book over the Christmas holidays, I experienced a huge shift in focus. I loved the book so much I decided to become an affiliate!

One of Leonie’s suggestions is to pick a theme as a “power word” for the year ahead. This is a word which embodies what you’d like to expand and focus on in your life, a word in alignment with what you truly want.

It didn’t take me long, looking back through the last year, thinking about what was good, what could have been better and what would make the difference this year, to decide on BELIEVE as my “sacred” word.

And this is why it works so much better for me than any new year’s resolution: say I resolve to go running 3 times a week (not negotiable). I accomplish this for the first two weeks. I am pleased, proud of myself. During the third week my daughter is off school, poorly, for two days. I cancel clients. I miss the running. I’m trying to catch up when a new business opportunity materializes, requiring extensive planning and intensive preparation. I work on it leaning into my relaxation time.  I don’t get out running even once. Have I failed? In the past I may have felt so; I’d be disheartened, frustrated.

But choosing a power word over resolutions has shifted this defeatist approach to one of positivity and productivity. So I didn’t exercise as much as I’d planned? So what? I still BELIEVE that I’ll increase my fitness this year, but I also BELIEVE that the time spent watching Frozen (again) on the sofa with my daughter was precious and beneficial to us both.  I also BELIEVE that I was right to channel my time into putting my amazing plans together. Having let go of the things that didn’t serve me in 2014, I also BELIEVE that this year is going to be a truly transformational year for me!

I am continuing to grow my business in alignment with my belief that all small businesses can punch above their weight using online marketing, and my vision for 2015 includes the success of my new online training programme. Developing this programme is a wonderful experience for me as it aligns completely with my core intention to help businesses grow online. This year our clients will see that more is possible!

I  have learned that things happen for a reason!  After all, nothing is static, intentions go awry, plans disintegrate and everything changes. It’s essential to accept this state of flux, to keep an open mind when things don’t go as you’d hoped, and to maintain alignment with your core desires. New Year’s resolutions may seem like a good idea, but all too often they’re based on what you think you should be doing, rather than what you really want to be doing.

So give yourself a break, be kind to yourself, and shift your focus to a deeper, more profound objective for 2015. Instead of imposing resolutions on yourself, try embracing a word that has resonance for you. Reflect on your word every day. It will trigger purpose and activity, moving you towards your life and business goals with strength, clarity and truth to yourself. As Jim Carey declared in his Commencement Address at the 2014 MUM Graduation

  “You are ready and able to do beautiful things in this world.” I believe this to be true for each and every one of us, do you?

If you would like to create your amazing life and business this year here’s the link to Leonie Dawsons Create Your shining 2015 workbook