Setting and Keeping
Your Intentions for 2007
by
Sunny Massad, Ph.D.
It's a new year; a perfect opportunity to begin again. Some of us will get a slow start, some of us will sprint our way into it, but all of us will hope we manage to stay focused and balanced this year, wary that we may falter if we don't make some solid changes. When we set impossible goals for ourselves, or when we're not honest about our problems with discipline, we'll struggle. The key is to make little changes that will make a big difference in your quality of life. To help you get started, here are four intentions that can help get or keep you on track.
1. Cut Yourself Some Slack. If your best friends falter, you encourage them, you don't beat them up. Learn to cultivate the same compassion for yourself! The number one reason for self sabotage is perfectionism. If you can't do it perfectly, do it imperfectly. If you have a bad day, a bad week, or even a bad month, acknowledge that you are off track and recommit! All it takes is the intention to get back to your intention!
2. Coach Yourself! If you have a judge in your head who criticizes you for being indulgent, lazy or distracted from your true intentions, speak to that voice as though it were a nagging spouse: “Thanks for sharing, but you are wrong. I'm not lazy. I'm tired of beating myself down!” Then practice speaking to yourself more kindly by focusing on what you're doing right instead of on what you are doing wrong. Every time you catch yourself speaking negatively to yourself, take a deep breath, apologize, and encourage yourself.
3. Move Your Body. Moving every day is an essential aspect of keeping your energy high and your spirit soaring. If you can't bear the thought of hopping on the treadmill, take an invigorating walk on the beach or in the park, take a swim, jump on a mini trampoline while watching television, or turn on some music and dance! If you're crunched for time, break up your walking into ten to fifteen minutes before work, during lunch, while shopping or going to and from your car. Walk up escalators and stairs. There are plenty of opportunities to exercise and your body will reward you for your efforts!
4. Practice Self Kindness. Begin to take care of yourself at least as well as you take care of a pet or a best friend. You would take the dog out for a walk every day and insure that s/he had good food to eat. And if your friend was sick, you'd recommend they go to bed and cozy in until it passes. Practice doing at least that much for yourself!
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