Millions of us start out the new year with the best intentions, ready to do differently and better than ever.  We set goals around everything from eating healthier, exercising more, increasing productivity, to connecting more deeply with the ones we love…. and almost every one of us fails to reach our goal.  Why?  Because if our goals are based on externally driven motives that have a distant end zone, they are doomed from the start.

Externally driven motives looks something like this:  
“I want to lose weight because I look like a fat slob."
“When I attract a partner who loves me then I can be happy.”
“Once I finish all of the projects at work, then I can relax.”

But take heart: here’s how to set yourself up for success!  Learn to recognize when your goals are connected to external motivators and then reframe them to have a more internal, sensory based meaning.  

Internal motives look like this:
“I am going to nourish my body with excellent food and move in a way that feels good every day so that I can feel as vibrant and alive as possible.”
“I am going to start a project of finding ways to be happy every day so that I can attract someone who is as happy and whole as I am.”
“I am going to commit to relaxing at some point every day so that I have the clarity and energy I need to do everything I want to do.”

Internally driven motives do a couple of things for you.  First, they give you a much more loving and compassionate foundation to base your choices on which makes it easier to get back on track when you start to veer from your goals.  And second, you are not waiting for a future event (that too-distant end zone) to take place in order to experience the pleasure, fulfillment, and happiness you crave right now.

So where do you start?
For some lucky people, you may already have a very clear idea of what you want and how it will make you feel to have it.  More commonly we only have a sense of wanting things to be different but not sure where to start or how to make it happen.  Here are two suggestions which you can tie into your New Year’s intentions or use anytime you want more clarity and forward movement:

Perform a clearing ritual
Here’s a simple one.  Take 2 pieces of paper; on one write down everything you want to let go of, on the other write down what you want you want to invite more of into your life.  Take the paper with everything to be released and burn it (safely) or you can tear it up and throw it into a running stream.  The other page gets pinned up somewhere where you can see it regularly (or if it works better for you, put it on your phone or computer as the screen saver).

Shake up your routine
This can be as simple as driving a different way to work, switching up the type of exercise you usually do, or adding in 5 minutes of stillness everyday when you are used to a go, go, go lifestyle…  OR It can be as challenging as taking on a detox that has you diving into self-care in a whole new way.

I like both of these approaches to shaking up routines, although, I have to admit that when I want to really reset and re-energize I need a big step back from my normal, daily patterns and there's nothing that accomplishes that better than a full-on detox.  If you want to experience what it's like to dive deep into self-care I'd love for you to join me this January for my Mind Body Spirit detox that is going to support all of the essential elements for vibrant health, mental clarity, and inner peace.
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Click here to register and see complete details:  
             Mind - Body - Spirit Detox

Wishing you a joyous, healthy, amazing New Year!
Janna

Do you begin each New Year with a resolution?  If you do, you are not alone!  Millions of Americans begin January 1st with a goal they want to reach and yet only 8% of them will successfully achieve it.  We’ve all been there; ready to make a fresh start, to finally tackle the challenge of getting that thing we really, really want, and then, 2…3…4 weeks into it we’ve given up.  Why is this?  Do some of us have more willpower than others?  Are some of us genetically predisposed to failure?  Are we just lazy?

Fortunately the answer is none of the above.  The reason we don’t achieve what we want is because we haven’t taken the time to set ourselves up for what I call inevitable success.  If you truly want to achieve your goals here are a few of the elements you need in place:

|Clarity

• Get a crystal clear vision for what your goal looks like when you’ve reached it.
• Include specific details for what gets to happen for you when you achieve your desired outcome.  How will you feel, what will you be doing or not doing?

 
|Unwavering Commitment

• Take 100% personal responsibility for making it happen. 

• No blame game, no excuses, no complaints!  As Yoda says ‘Do or do not, there is no try.’   
• Every successful goal is backed by commitment, dedicated focus, and consistent action.  Make a plan and stick to it.

 
|Achievability

• Keep the steps to your goal simple and doable.  The more complicated and involved your requirements become the less likely you will achieve what you want within the timeframe you’ve set.

|Inspiring the 'Why'

• Goals can feel far off and unreachable at times.  By connecting daily to your reason(s) for wanting to reach your goal you keep your motivation fresh and active. 

 
|Bonus Tip:  Accountability

• People who establish some sort of accountability for themselves are 76% more likely to reach their goal than those who do not.

 
If one of your goals is to start the new year feeling light, clear, and energized but aren’t sure where to start I have the solution!  Beginning on January 15th I will be leading a fun, fast ‘7 Day Sugar Smackdown’ which will leave you looking and feeling fabulous.  Save $30 by joining now…simply click this link for full details.

So here’s the thing...

Our words have tremendous power.  Have you ever noticed how they are the building blocks to your reality? Now let me ask: Are there things that you want but they always seem just out of reach and you can’t figure out why?  Let's take a minute to explore the language you use in connection to your desire.  Let’s say it’s a trip to France--are you saying: "When I get to France, seeing the Eiffel Tower is at the top of my list!" or are you saying things like: "I wish I could go to France but there’s never enough time or money."  I can guarantee if you’re using the latter statement it will take you much, much longer to get to France.

One of the statements I’ve been known to make over the years is: "I’m not a runner," and here’s why I decided to take a closer look at that…

A few months ago I found myself racing through the Chicago airport desperately trying not to miss my connection.  I was on my way to Tucson and I really, really wanted to be there.  I was looking forward to being in the sun, exploring a new place, and having some downtime with friends before our training started the next day.  My plane had been a little late and the connection was tight to begin with which left me with minutes to make it to the other side of a huge airport, so I grabbed my bags and ran…as fast as I could. 

Here’s what I learned:

• Despite regular yoga classes and daily walks with my dog my aerobic stamina was basically nonexistent.
• Running with bags is a bad idea.
• All of my years of saying "I’m not a runner" were catching up to me and creating my reality of feeling like I was about to fall over and die from lack of oxygen.

The good news… I made it to my plane (by the skin of my teeth)!  The bad news was that my lungs were destroyed, I was wheezing and gasping for air, and I must have looked like a crazy person with a respiratory infection because the guy next to me looked a little panicked to be stuck sitting with me. 

What evolved from that moment was that I wanted to be able to handle at least a basic amount of aerobic challenge and the statement "I’m not a runner" was going to have to go.  As long as I kept using it there would be no room for me to begin, or even attempt, a running routine.

Here’s what I did:

1. I started with the thought "I can run short distances."
2. I focused on the fun parts…being outside, time with my teenage daughter who’s kind enough to slow down so that I can keep up with her, moving my body in a new way, getting stronger and taking pleasure in the little improvements I see every time I go out.
3.  I stay connected to what I want:  being able to run short distances without dying.
   

I don’t want to give you the wrong idea.  I don’t see any marathons, or even 5K’s, in my future.  However by making a few simple shifts in language and attitude I’m now proudly able to say I can run a solid mile!
                __________________________

Even a subtle shift in how you use words can make a huge difference.  Check out THIS GUY'S STORY on how changing his password, changed his life.

Now it’s your turn.
What would you like more of in your life?  Are your words supporting your success or keeping you from reaching it?  I’d love to hear what you discover; be sure to add your comments below!