10 Ways to a Happy New Year

1. Write a plan that covers the year.

“In this year, I intend to….” Review your plan. Is it more than just SMART(Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Based)? Is it daring? Will it give you great joy to achieve it? If not, keep rewriting it until it makes you feel excited and vibrant. Only 8% of people achieve their New Year Resolutions. Share your plan with others and ask loved ones to support you in achieving your goals. If you can, find an accountability partner or hire a coach.

2. Make a weekly plan that supports your annual plan. Repeat.

Pick one day each week that you set aside time to review what you achieved in the last seven days towards your annual plan and make a new goal for the upcoming seven days. If you miss one of these review days, make a commitment to do it as soon as possible.

3. Be good to yourself.

Find ways to appreciate your special talents and what you bring to your loved ones and your employer or employees. Accept that you are worthy of the plans you made for yourself. Find ways to eat better, practice good sleeping habits, exercise and make time be with people you enjoy. Your body is the tool you use to reach your dreams, take good care of it.

4. Surround yourself with good people.

Identify people who inspire you. Ask one of these people out to lunch each month. If they say “no”, ask again in a month. If your guest say “yes”, go to lunch with at least three questions that you are seeking the answer to in your own development, career growth or in support of your annual plan. Be prepared to offer them something in return that they may need or want. Invite them to talk first. “When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know; but when you listen, you may learn something new.” Dalai Lama

5. Get in touch with your feelings.

Life is lived through feelings. When we are in touch with how we are feeling, we can make decisions about how to respond, or what action to take, in any given situation. Become familiar with what makes you feel positive feelings and find ways to bring more of these experiences into your life. Situations that cause negative feelings should be examined and determine what action could be taken to reduce exposure to these situations or make them more tolerable. Sometimes a situation will require you to actively choose to feel other feelings – to take control of your response and decide to feel differently, more positively, about the situation. Finding something to be grateful for in a difficult situation can change how you feel about it.

6. Express Gratitude - daily.

Take several moments a day to think about what you are grateful for in that moment. This could be while you are in shower, driving around town, eating your lunch, standing in line at the bank, or when you find yourself unoccupied for a minute or two. Just making time for this activity can turn your whole day around into something more positive. If you can’t think of anything to be grateful for, be grateful that you woke up in the morning and that you have a chance to make different choices today.

7. Find forgiveness for yourself and others.

If you find yourself in this year with anger, resentment or hatred toward another human being, find the help necessary to resolve these negative feelings. Reaching a point when you can accept someone has hurt you and then forgiving them will bring more peace into your life. Forgiveness does not mean you condone their behavior, it just means you will not allow it to hurt you any longer. If you are troubled with these issues, seek out a local support group or a professional to assist you in working through the issue either alone or if possible, with the other person.

8. Schedule time on your calendar for activities that give you joy and happiness.

Once you are in touch with your feelings and identify what makes you happy or gives you joy, give yourself the gift of time to enjoy these activities. Actually place “happy dates” on your calendar so you make joy a priority.

9. Clear the clutter.

Take a moment to look around your home. Home is a sanctuary and yet many of us treat it like a storage locker. Collect some boxes and begin to sort into them the items you:

• Do not want and can donate, recycle or dispose
• Need to keep but can put in storage or the garage 
  [tax files, seasonal, recreational]
• May want in the future but don’t need around you right now
  [store away and examine again in a year]

Online resources and professionals can assist you in living without the clutter.

10. Ration your screen time.

You may be asking “How will I find the time to do all this?” The average American watches 5 hours of television a day. By cutting back to 4 hours, each person could dedicate 7 hours a week to their annual plan, personal development and activities that give them greater joy and happiness.

Taking these 10 steps can help you to have the happy, joyous and wonderful year that you deserve.

Kathy Zwern is an effective Life Coach with Remarkable Life Designs. Her specialty is assisting clients in bridging from their current experience to the life they truly want and desire. You can reach her at kathy@remarkablelifedesigns.com or for further information explore the website at www.remarkablelifedesigns.com