A New Year - A New Life?

Your New Year´s Goal list is long and ambitious, but the change of little habits is defeating you already on January 1st? Don´t despair. There are simply misconceptions about the nature of lasting changes that are making it difficult...

Things have finally slowed down with X-Mas. The year ended faithfully. Automatically the events of the old year were coming to mind again, a holiday letter was sent out to friends and family. New Year´s Eve was full of fireworks and champagne: The New Year has arrived. I like the feeling of a clean slate on January 1st. Life seems full of opportunities, just like way back when, when I came fresh from High School and had a long summer ahead, trying on countless versions of my life in my head.

Whenever possible, my husband an I watch the live broadcast of the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra´s New Year´s Concert. Is is so inspiring, so cultivated. It seems like a guarantee for the year to turn out according to my own dreams, when I am able to get it started with this in 70 countries broadcasted event. During the 2,5 hour concert, we would talk about our goals and wishes for the year. A list is compiled and added on a document with all the last New Year´s Goals. Many of the goals have been accomplished, some keep being put on the new list, still hopeful. Others have disappeared altogether - never carried out, having lost its importance on the way. Until this point the year is fresh and innocent, carrying all these opportunities.

The afternoon of January 1st is the first challenge. The simple habits, the ones that seem unimportant in the scheme of life, start talking: Maybe drinking coffee isn´t so bad for me after all. Drinking wine is known to be of benefit. More exercise - well but not TODAY... Thus, life´s big goals seem in danger, because not even a tiny habit seems to be able to be changed. This is the point, where a little attention goes a long way. Don´t beat yourself up about any of this. The approach is often done with will power. One of the best kept secrets of change seems to be that will power is not a good companion when it comes to changing habits. The nature of change is human. Relapses are likely and should be expected. Don´t answer with an all of nothing mindset and head for the family size cookie bag just because the urge to have a cookie despite the resolution to keep your hands off cookies for the rest of your life has become unbearable. ENJOY a cookie of your favorite kind, savor it, eat it slowly and include all your senses: How does it look like, smell like, taste like, how does it sound when you bite it.... Be kind and gentle to yourself. And one more thing: be HONEST. Do you really want to live your life without cookies, what is the real goal here - weight loss, healthy nutrition, no more overeating and numbing yourself with food? Whatever it is: It is vital to be honest to yourself and find out your true desire. Then there will be a doable path to get to it. Most likely it will include occasional cookies. The path will be easy. Will power is not needed here.

Life coaching has such wonderful ways to get you what you truly want in your life. Often it is just a shift in perceptions that can make a big difference in our life quality. Everybody deserves to live her/his own unique life of fulfillment and happiness. I wish you, dear reader, a most joyous and fantastic year 2010. May you follow your dreams and encounter things beyond your wildest dreams on the way. Live, laugh and love often!