Be The Change
This is the time of year that many of us resolve to change bad habits or incorporate healthy habits into our lives. Many of us view the New Year as a time to start over or begin anew. Have you ever found yourself enraptured by a vision or a desire you have for your life? If so, you know that it's an exciting process. In setting goals, we usually work towards achieving the end result, whether we want to lose weight, get a better job, start a business, or become happier. We then get busy with a renewed sense of purpose to achieve our mission.
Quite often, there is a missing aspect involved in the process. We get so caught up in the busyness of change and improving our lives that we forget to ask ourselves a critical question that can determine our outcome.
The question is, "Who are you being in the change you seek?" Mahatma Gandhi is quoted as saying, "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Are you being joyful, loving, and accepting of yourself in your change-seeking process, or are you being critical, judgmental, and self-defeating?
What does it mean to be the change you seek? If you want to experience more peace in your life, you get to be more peaceful in your dealings with yourself and those around you. If you're going to experience more love in your life, you get to be more loving in your thoughts, actions, and the words you use. If you desire to experience more joy in your life, you can approach your life and its challenges joyfully.
It really is quite simple, and the process begins with you, in each moment, choosing to be the change to seek. How you treat yourself in your change process is just as important as the goals you set and can determine your ultimate success or failure.
Here are a few tips to support you in your process:
Begin your goal list with an intention statement of what you want to achieve and who you must be to achieve your goals. Intention statements are powerful tools to give you focus and make a bold declaration to the Universe about what you want to achieve.
Break your goals down into measurable and realistic steps. It's essential to make sure your goals are measurable. For example, if you want to lose weight, how many pounds do you wish to lose and by when? Take into account how realistic your goals are. If your goal is weight loss, make sure you choose realistic time frames. Typically 2-3 pounds a week is considered healthy for weight loss.
Create a vision board. A vision board is a powerful tool to use in goal setting. It is a poster board that has images, words, or symbols of the experiences you wish to attract in your life. You can get the pictures from magazines, newspapers, or your computer. Keep your vision board in a place you often see to remind you of what you wish to accomplish. Allow yourself to be creative and have fun with it.
Have an accountability partner. When you are only accountable to yourself, you can get caught up in slippery behaviors and quickly lose focus. Consider partnering with a friend who will help you stay on track and commit to having weekly check-ins with each other about where you are in achieving your goals.
Make a note of potential pitfalls (internals saboteurs) that could get in your way and make a plan for it. Sometimes you can quickly identify when you've veered off your path. Assess what the trouble behaviors have been in the past and make a plan to get yourself back on track.
Honestly assess who you must BE and strive to embody that quality each day. Choosing to "be the change" involves having faith and courage in those moments you feel unsure. Ask yourself, "How would I handle this situation if I were to embody the qualities of confidence, love, peace, or joy?" When you are being the change, you choose love over fear, self-acceptance over self-criticism, and peace over anger.
Don't allow setbacks to stop your forward movement. Every now and then, you may find yourself slipping into old behaviors that are in direct conflict with your goals. When this happens, honestly assess what is happening, exercise self-forgiveness, and recommit yourself to your goals. It is also a good time to reread your intention statement to remind yourself of what you are working to achieve.
Expect success. Your expectations are powerful and critical in creating the experiences you desire. It is vital to believe that you can achieve your goals and be successful.
Take account of lessons learned through your process. Use the lessons learned to give you renewed energy to move forward, not as a reason to beat yourself up or to give up.
Celebrate each success. Celebrate yourself each time you successfully achieve a goal or find yourself being the change to seek. By celebrating and acknowledging your accomplishments, you create the momentum to experience more success. Have fun in the process.
Whether you meet your goal or experience a setback, it is always important to ask the question, "What lessons have I learned through this process and how can I use what I've learned to be more successful next time?"
I wish you much joy and success in the coming year. May you believe in your ability to achieve your dreams and be the change you seek!
Danielle ❤️
