What’s YOUR Personal Theme?
Have you ever pulled out your journal to write down goals for the New Year and it all seems strangely familiar? Then you realize you are writing the same things you wrote down last year, and the year before, and the year before that! I’ll admit, I’ve certainly done that and because of that, one of my goals this year is to follow through and achieve what I’ve set, so that I can have all new goals come 2011!
In beginning a New Year, it’s important to not only review where we’ve traveled this past year so we can learn from our mistakes (actually lessons), but it’s also important to visualize yourself at this time next year and imagine how you want to feel. The journey becomes clear when the destination is known, or as Stephen Covey says, “Begin with the end in mind.”
Of course there are some things that you may want to keep on your list every year, for example,
instead of having the goal “to get healthy and lose weight”, for next year (after achieving your
fitness goals) your 2011 goal could become “stay healthy and maintain my ideal weight”.
I like to have a personal THEME each year with which all my intentions, aspirations, goals,
and dreams align. It can be one word, or a phrase, a thought, a scripture, or a song;
whatever fits for you. If you’re not sure what to choose as your theme don’t push it, just
let it come to you, and it will. It may even be something that a loved one brings to your mind.
For example, last year my theme was ‘Lighten Up!’ because my husband had (semi-) jokingly said that to me a couple of times. I realized he was right; sometimes I get a little too focused and adding in the phrase ‘lighten up’ as my underlying influence was a great help! It’s important to use your theme as a lifestyle change, not just a means to an end, so even though I’m on to a new theme now, hopefully I keep with me the lessons I learned while I was ‘lightening up’.
You don’t have to keep the same theme for the entire year. You may want to change it monthly or quarterly. If you listen, the wisdom of your spirit will bring to your mind the perfect theme for you at the right time. I’ll be open here. My personal theme for 2010 is Self-Discipline. I consider myself a pretty disciplined person, but over the past few weeks those are the words that came to me to work on for this year. And when you think about it, no good goal can be accomplished without it. So that theme runs through my goals in all areas: health, spirituality, mental, family, career. Wow, wouldn’t the world be a better place if everyone practiced those two words!
When you write out your intentions and/or paste pictures of them on a vision board, “feel” how it will be to achieve them, then SUPER-CHARGE them by pairing them with your personal theme.
You and I have big goals, big ambitions, and big dreams. We can do this! We can accomplish wonderful things this year and beyond!
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