Welcome to a new year.

Does that sentence excite you about the possibility? Or fill you with disappointment about what you didn't accomplish last year? If you're like many people who make New Year's resolutions, you may have chosen the latter. Personally, I think New Year's Resolutions should be outlawed! We start out with such high hopes and great intentions but often set ourselves up for failure before we even start, because resolutions tend to be lofty and we don't know how to make them happen.

Now don't get me wrong, I think goal setting and personal growth are very important - heck, I'm a Life Coach after all! I just think there's a much better way to make changes and feel good about you in the process.

Be realistic about what you'll do.
Nothing stimulates success like success. If you make a goal for yourself to go to the gym 5 times a week, you don't leave yourself much wiggle room, making it easy to fail, which isn't exactly motivating. Instead, make a realistic minimum commitment, which is a commitment to do a minimum amount of something, with the possibility of more. Commit to going to the gym twice a week. Not only will you make your goal more achievable, but your success will motivate you to do more and you may just end up at the gym 5 times a week, but the difference is that you'll feel more inspired and motivated, which brings me to the next point.

Be honest about your motivation.
If you're setting a goal for yourself because it's something you "should" do, you'll likely find it hard to motivate yourself without feeling like you're nagging yourself. However, if it's something that you "want", you'll be more drawn to getting it done. Let's use the example of the gym again. Note the difference between "I should go to the gym so I can lose this extra weight" vs. "I want to go to the gym because I love how my body feels after a workout". "Should" feels heavy, while "want" feels light.

Create a Vision.
Regardless of whether your goal is on-going (I want to be a better person) or has an end point (I want to find a new job), get clear on what it will look like and imagine how it will feel. How will you know you're doing it? Be specific! These steps help you recognize when you're achieving your goal.

Oh, and don't forget to acknowledge your successes along the way.



Next Month: Clearing the Clutter!

Teleclass: Move into Action

Is there something on your "to do" list that's got you feeling stuck? Perhaps it's something you really want to do, but still keep putting off? If so, why not do things differently this year? Attend this teleclass and move into action!

A teleclass is delivered via telephone, similar to a conference call.

In this 2-part class you will learn to:

• Identify what gets in your way
• Create and implement an action plan
• Create accountability
• Get and stay unstuck
• Savor your accomplishments

Click here for more information.

New Year Coaching Offer

Start the New Year out right - create a life you love and save money.

If you've been curious about coaching, now's the time to give it a try. Sign up for coaching by the end of February and you will save $US 100 off your second month (regular monthly fee is $US 325). Interested to learn more or schedule a complimentary session? Call Lisa at 425.747.8549 or e-mail at lisa@orangecoaching.com.