Make A Glorious Promise To Yourself.

It was a case without precedent: this year, unlike in all the previous years, I’m not inclined to write down any goals (which doesn’t mean I don’t have some sense of direction)  But I do want to share with you few things I’m doing to acknowledge the beginning of the year, in case you are not keen on goals as well.

Depending on where you have been and what the previous year brought you, you may want the new year to be a continuation: you want to hold on to your luck. But there is a possibility that you have been waiting for a new beginning, a clean slate, a new day to dry your tears, a day to cut the cords with 2014.

1. The Promise

Instead of goals

instead of resolutions

instead of drifting in nothingness

instead of stressing over the social accountability you signed up for last year

make a promise to yourself

Glorious, Golden, Gentle Promise that Honors You. A promise of ………….. (fill in the blank)

Completely aligned with your heart and spirit.

The possibilities are virtually unlimited. You promise yourself what your heart desires. What you long for, what you crave. The promise may be in a form of a manifesto, a declaration, permission, a letter to self. Carry it with you.

One person may promise herself to have better self respect. Another may need stronger boundaries. Or become the stronger version of herself. Yet another may promise herself to take care of her wellbeing, or open up to meet the right lover.

Comparing to a goal, the promise has a noncompetitive nature.

This year I promise myself to protect the boundaries of my time. Even more.

If yours is not a secret I’d love to see what you promise yourself in the comments!  

2. Short distance planning.

During a usual 5 hour meeting with my friend Diane, just before the new year’s eve, we naturally talked about the old and the new. She said: “Why not decide on something just for January. And the next month just for February and so on.”

I see how that may work: When a goal is set for the whole year it seems like we have forever to make it happen. But if the deadline is 30 days from now, it is more “real”; it’s staring in your face.

I grabbed my new calendar and we jotted down what we want this month. Both of us work from home offices (you know what I mean) so we promised ourselves to implement a work schedule that will honor our desire to create, to go effectively from “draft to done”.

Memorize and follow this never-fail recipe: get started. Don’t quit. – Barbara Winter

3. A clear sense of direction

Even if our direction may be changed – it usually somehow is – life is easier when we have it. It takes time to develop a sense of direction that fills you with passion and energy. Very often our “compass” is broken so we drift without seeing the promised land. If that’s you, the book “Finding your own North Star” by Martha Beck could be something you may want to read.

Did you like this post? Share it with someone who may enjoy it. May the 2015 be wonderful to us all!