{"id":15291,"date":"2015-12-28T11:35:29","date_gmt":"2015-12-28T16:35:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.nmc.edu\/?p=15291"},"modified":"2015-12-28T11:35:29","modified_gmt":"2015-12-28T16:35:29","slug":"january-wellness-works-resolutions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.nmc.edu\/?p=15291","title":{"rendered":"January Wellness Works- Resolutions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"2016We bring in the New Year with wild expectations for the future. Most of us resolve to change the things we do not like about ourselves. It is only natural to work toward self-improvement. Most resolutions start out with \u201cI want to stop (fill in the blank)\u201d. It could be smoking, eating sugar, nail biting, loafing on the couch or a variety of other bad habits. Unfortunately most resolutions are broken before February 1st. Why? One of the main reasons is because the goals are often too vague or too unrealistic. It takes a lot more than wishful thinking to make those lofty New Year\u2019s resolutions stick. Ask yourself the following six questions to, once and for all, make the changes you want.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

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  1. Pick a goal that excites you<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \u201cThe biggest mistake people make is picking the wrong goal in the first place,\u201d says Talane Miedaner<\/a>, author of Coach Yourself to Success. \u201cNever set goals that are over a year old<\/strong>, because they\u2019re \u2018dead.\u2019\u201d Losing weight is a perfect example\u2014some people carry that around for decades. \u201cIf you still want to slim down after years of trying, then do something different,\u201d she says. \u201cSign up with a running group and train for a marathon, or take ballroom dancing lessons and enter a dance competition.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    1. Create a master plan<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Determine what you actually need to do to achieve your goals\u2014that\u2019s your master plan. Maybe you\u2019ll have to wake up an hour earlier to write your best-selling novel, or spend one lunch hour a week volunteering with a nonprofit organization. To succeed, you have to schedule your goals and make them part of your life<\/strong>. Put a system in place that will support change by giving you the structure you need.<\/p>\n

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      1. Take baby steps<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        \u201cWhen you break your goal down into smaller parts<\/strong>, it becomes more controllable, less daunting and more attainable,\u201d says Christa Wagner, professional organizer and owner of Savvy Solutions<\/a>. Lofty goals often feel overwhelming, which leads to procrastination and incompletion. Wagner uses her own life as an example: \u201cI\u2019m developing an eBook series from Savvy Solutions,\u201d she says. \u201cI have about 10 books I want to write. To reach my goal in six months, I\u2019ve broken it down into daily and weekly tasks.\u201d<\/p>\n

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        1. Call in the reinforcements<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          Get supportive folks in your camp and avoid the naysayers. Join a group of like-minded folks, team up with a good friend, hire a coach or otherwise include people who want the best for you and will keep you on track.<\/strong> If you know someone with a similar goal\u2014or any goal at all\u2014invite him\/her to be an accountability buddy. Then, check in with each other regularly to make sure you\u2019re on track. To get the support you need let others know how you\u2019d feel most encouraged.<\/p>\n

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          1. Keep your eye on the ball<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Keep your goals insight by putting reminders on your wall, at your desk and in your planner. This allows you to check-in often, make adjustments, and check goals off as they are attained. A great way to plan your future is with a vision board which uses maps, lists and pictures that embody success to keep you motivated<\/strong>. And, visualizing how you\u2019ll feel after achieving your goal unleashes the power of your subconscious mind\u2014which further propels you toward success.<\/p>\n

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            1. Reward yourself<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

              To stay focused and motivated for the long haul, celebrate your successes<\/strong>. For example, reward yourself monthly with a pedicure and quarterly with a massage. It will keep you rejuvenated and energized. If you want to lose 20 pounds, for example, don\u2019t wait until you\u2019ve lost it all to celebrate. If you reward yourself with something that makes you feel beautiful each time you shed a few pounds, you\u2019re more likely to achieve your end goal.<\/p>\n

              Lastly, stop making excuses. Hold yourself accountable and get out of your own way\u2014because you\u2019re the only person who can make a positive difference in your life!<\/strong>\u201d\u00a0Read more\u00a0here!<\/a><\/p>\n

              \"vision<\/p>\n

              \"vision<\/p>\n

              If you think vision boards are bogus, then the joke’s on you. They work, and there’s actually a really simple explanation of why they work so well.<\/p>\n

              Creating a sacred space that displays what you want actually does bring it to life. What we focus on expands. When you create a vision board and place it in a space where you see it often, you essentially end up doing short visualization exercises throughout the day.<\/p>\n

              Visualization is one of the most powerful mind exercises you can do<\/strong>. According to the popular book The Secret, “The law of attraction is forming your entire life experience and it is doing that through your thoughts. When you are visualizing, you are emitting a powerful frequency out into the Universe.”<\/p>\n

              Whether you believe that or not, we know that visualization works. Olympic athletes have been using it for decades<\/a> to improve performance, and Psychology Today<\/a> reported that the brain patterns activated when a weightlifter lifts heavy weights are also similarly activated when the lifter just imagined (visualized) lifting weights.<\/p>\n

              So, what’s the big secret to creating a vision board that works? It’s simple: Your vision board should focus on how you want to feel<\/em><\/strong>, not just on things that you want. Don’t get me wrong, it’s great to include the material stuff, too. However, the more your board focuses on how you want to feel, the more it will come to life.<\/p>\n

              There is only one major rule to creating a vision board that works, and it’s that there aren’t any rules<\/strong>. You aren’t going to mess it up, you can create your vision board on your own terms. Here are the answers to the most common questions people ask:<\/p>\n

              Q: What should I put on my vision board?<\/em><\/p>\n

              A: Anything that inspires and motivates you. The purpose of your vision board is to bring everything on it to life<\/strong>. First, think about what your goals are in the following areas: relationships, career and finances, home, travel, personal growth (including spirituality, social life, education) and health.<\/p>\n

              You don’t have to cover each area exactly the same, just take a mental inventory of what you want each of those areas to look like and write them down. Always handwrite your goals instead of typing them, there’s something energetic about actually handwriting your goals. From your goals and aspirations, think about what you want on your vision board. Like I said before, what you focus on expands<\/strong>. You’ll be amazed at how things just start popping up all over the place once you set the intention for what you want and how you want to feel.<\/p>\n

              Q: Should I have one main vision board, or a bunch of small ones for different areas of my life?<\/em><\/p>\n

              A: It’s totally up to you. What makes the most sense in your life? I personally like to have one central vision board that I look at every day in my home office, and I have a few small ones that I’ve made at retreats that I keep around too. Each area of our lives affect each other, so starting with one central vision board usually makes sense. Theme boards that center on specific events or areas of your life are great too, for instance a wedding-day-specific will help you focus on how you want to feel on your big day, or a career specific board at your desk space can help you work towards that promotion.<\/p>\n

              Q: How often should I re-do my vision board?<\/em><\/p>\n

              A: Whenever it feels right. I often leave blank space on my vision board so I can accept new things as they appear in my life, and add and rearrange during the year when I feel it. You’ll just know. Then, every December, I give the board a total refresh to get clear about what I want in the new year. Some things stay and some have served their purpose and don’t make the cut.<\/p>\n

              What you’ll need:<\/strong><\/p>\n