Happy New Year! Whew, it’s been a while since I posted. Author talks and book events have kept me jumping, but I am so very grateful for the impact “Finding the Gift: Daily Meditations for Mindfulness” is making in people’s lives and their perspectives. We’re all in this together!

January is the biggest month for most of us to think about our lives and make new resolutions. But for many, these are quickly abandoned by February. Too often people resolve to accomplish goals that are too big and daunting, and/or deep down, they don’t believe they deserve to have or be “x.” Surprisingly enough, we make progress much quicker by taking baby steps consistently. The turtle beats the rabbit on this track!

If you are having trouble with any of your New Year’s resolutions, I have a few suggestions that have helped me in the past. If all I have identified is the ultimate outcome, I can stare at that goal until I am blue in the face, paralyzed to take any real action. However, if I create some smaller resolutions that will cause me to take a step toward the final destination, I can make forward progress.

Excerpt from “Finding the Gift: Daily Meditations for Mindfulness” for January 1:

Sometimes I find it easier to look at a big goal and then work backwards, breaking it down into smaller pieces. I’ll ask myself, Well, if that goal was true one year from now, what else will be true? For instance, if I had aspirations to become more fluent in a foreign language one year from now, I could start by finding other people to regularly converse with. Boom. I just created a tangible action step I can do today, which will help me get where I want to be a year from now. This sounds so obvious, but too often we get overwhelmed and intimidated by the idea of attaining huge goals. We can’t think of how to get started and we stay frozen.

If my goal for 2016 as an author/speaker is simply to reach more people with my book and my message, I could easily remain intimidated by how to actually go about doing that and do nothing, but hope and pray it just happens. Or, I can pretend it’s December, 2016 and that I’m looking back over the year feeling grateful that I did successfully expand my impact. I can ask myself what must have happened for my goal to be realized? I probably had to identify some groups who could relate to what I have to say. Then I probably had to do some research and make some phone calls or send some emails.

So now, rather than focus on my big goal, I can start thinking about specific groups or organizations who would be thrilled to have me as a guest speaker. Once identified, I can make another goal to do some research and find out who secures speakers for the event. I can make contact through phone or email. I know this is a very specific example but I’m hoping you can translate this to your own goals and see that a big resolution needs to be broken down into several, smaller goals. Tasks that can be done in a day. Activities that when put together, lead up to helping you reach your bigger destination.

If this sounds elemental but you are facing a resolution that is quickly fading, I hope you will give it a try. Just ask the question, “If this were true, what else would have to be true?” You have all the answers you need inside you. Sometimes we just aren’t asking ourselves the right questions!

If negative beliefs are holding you back, that’s going to require a different strategy. Write down the three most powerful self-sabotage beliefs that run through your mind. Reasons that deep-down are keeping you from attaining your resolutions. Let’s say you want to increase your income in 2016. That’s a great goal, but until it’s defined in detail, it could easily remain a resolution that’s just too big. But let’s deal with the negative self-beliefs because if those are dominating your daily thoughts, the best-laid actions plans are meaningless.

Perhaps your first negative thought is this: “I don’t deserve to make more money,” or “No one in my family has ever made much money.” If that is an underlying belief, your sub-conscious will make sure your life backs that up. How would it feel to believe, “I deserve to make an abundant living to be able to provide for myself and my family and have fun doing it?” Can you feel the shift? This isn’t hard work, but it does take intentional effort. Change your software programs in your mind and you will change your life!

Excerpt from “Finding the Gift: Daily Meditations for Mindfulness” for January 6:

Take a moment. Stare out a window. Let yourself dream of a life that is to come. If you could do or be anything—no limits based on finances, present circumstances or past experiences—what would you do? Where would you go? What would you invent? What new hobby or interest might you explore? Who would be in your life? (Who would you let go of?) Who would you help? How much money would you see in your account? Where would you live? What would your body look like, and how strong and flexible would you be? What charity would you support or create? What would your doctor say at your annual checkup?
This is YOUR dream. STOP the limiting chatter!

My book is full of daily meditations to challenge old beliefs, broaden perspectives and offer practical tips that will help us all achieve the lives we really desire from the inside out. I can’t say it enough: this is MY handbook for living. I do not have all these lessons mastered! Far from it. I wrote this book to provide reminders for the many issues I still need to work on myself. I just decided to share it with you so we can do it together! We all need traveling companions on this journey of life. Thank you for being one of mine!

If you’re in the Nashville area, I will be at the Green Hills Library on Thursday, February 4 at 6pm for an author talk and book signing event. Books will be available to purchase and a portion of the proceeds will go to the “Friends of the Library.” I hope to see you there!

P.S. If you have a Finding the Gift story, I want to hear it and so does the rest of our FTG community! Please send me a message through my “contact Angela“ tab. Not an FTG member? Look for the orange box to the right and sign up! I’ll send you a free eBook immediately, Ten Secrets to Finding the Gift! (Depending on your device, you may need to scroll down to the bottom of the page.)