​Between responsibilities, work demands, relationships, and emotional ups and downs, it’s not surprising that we face moments of chaos and uncertainty. When that state of chaos becomes the norm, things get dicey and we can become run down and stuck in overwhelm.
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​Eventually it starts to feel like all of the ease and joy has been sucked out of life.

One of the first responses our mind has to stressful situations is to tell stories about why we deserve it, that we’re justified in feeling the way we do, and then it seals the deal by showing how unlikely it is that we’ll be able to turn things around. And we believe every negative word we tell ourselves!

To begin revising this inner dialogue to one that is more supportive, consider this quote from Byron Katie:

“A thought is harmless unless we believe it. It’s not our thoughts, but our attachment to our thoughts, that causes suffering. Attaching to a thought means believing that it’s true, without inquiring. A belief is a thought that we’ve been attaching to, often for years.”
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Not believing our thoughts is definitely the simplest path to peace, however, it takes lots of practice and that’s where it’s essential to be patient and persistent.

When we’re looking for ways out of a bad cycle it can often feel like we have to do something major like change jobs, find new friends, move to a different city, end a relationship, stop eating foods we enjoy… And generally, that just adds to the pressure and keeps us from taking any action at all.
Here’s what to do!
Find one small thing you can commit to everyday such as...

• Drinking more water
• Sitting in stillness for 5 minutes
• Prioritize sleep (even going to bed 20 minutes earlier can make a difference)
• Add in more veggies
• Take 3 deep breaths 5 times a day
• Walk for 15 minutes (then gradually work up to 30)

 
Even if you eventually add in more of these habits, start with one that feels easiest and most fun to you. By doing that you set yourself up for success because you are much more likely to stick with it.

​Self-kindness--the most important one of all! There are few things more demotivating than criticism, and that includes our own inner critics who tend to be the harshest. The words we use are shaped by the beliefs we hold and together they create our experience. Or as Mahatma Gandhi said:

Your thoughts become your words,
Your words become your actions,
Your actions become your habits,
Your habits become your values,
Your values become your destiny. 

If you're done feeling stuck and are ready to create your destiny, the easy next step is to schedule your free consultation with me. In our call you will learn more about what is stopping you from reaching your most important goals and how you can take action to move forward right away.

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

Try these actions when you find yourself pulled into the comparison trap:​

| Let go of perfectionism.  There is no such thing as perfect (seriously, do you know anyone who does everything right, all the time?).

| Take action.  Even one small step toward your goal or one positive thought toward yourself can stop comparison in its tracks.

| Focus on your strengths.  Comparing our weakest skills to others’ strengths is an instant downer.

| Actively practice gratitude.  When you turn your attention to what is going well you will open yourself up to seeing more possibilities.

The first step to empowered living is being able to clearly see what’s stopping you from empowered actions.  What we can see we can change.

It can be challenging to see these blocks for ourselves!  If you are ready to create more confidence and ease in your life, sign up for a free consultation with me.  This empowering conversation is for people who are ready to make themselves a priority, and is a great opportunity for anyone who wants more clarity for their desires and their challenges!  Simply click here to grab your time. 

I’d love to hear from you!  Let me know which of the action steps you found most effective in the comments below.

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.