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My secret about why some resolutions stick & others fizzle out

I admit it, I love January and all that new year intention setting energy.

I’ve spent plenty of years writing down, in those first weeks, what I want to accomplish in the rest. Strategic plans and lists for the things I want to do, the new habits I want to commit to (again). 

Sometimes I found myself riding the wave of a resolution the whole year through.
Other resolutions – not so much.

Here’s the huge secret I’ve come to realize about what sticks and why…
The important part is not actually the goal itself, or even any of the careful preparing and planning we might do.

The key is a couple layers down, underneath the ‘what’ and the ‘how.’
It’s completely and utterly about our why.

The intentions we most continue on with, the ones we’re willing to make part of our daily lives are the ones that answer an inner yearning we might not even realize we were asking for.

You see, if you think about it, all those outer aspirations – at their core, are actually coming from an inner desire you have to feel a certain way.  That’s what’s at the heart of it all, the true reason we resolve to do anything.

Everything we choose — whether consciously or subconsciously — is because we believe, or at least hope, that when we do it, get there, have it, we’ll feel the way we want to feel.

So here’s a question to consider this January…
Do your resolutions truly line up with how you want to feel?

Or how about even more fundamentally…
How do you want feel?

Have you ever deeply considered that question for yourself?

To paraphrase Danielle LaPorte, author of The Desire Map… Knowing how you actually want to feel is the most potent form of clarity you can have. Generating those feelings through your intentional actions is a powerful way to live your life!

What do you think?
If you led with your why, your core desired feelings, would your resolutions resonate more? would you find yourself with different ones? would inspiration carry through the year?

If you’re interested in exploring this concept some more here’s a couple of opportunities & resources for you…
As one of Danielle’ LaPorte’s licensed Desire Map facilitator’s I’m offering a couple of powerful workshops this January — Resolutions Re-Frame on January 8th and Live from your Center, Love your Life on January 29th. If you’re in the Boston area, I’d love to have you join me! And if you’re not in the Boston area, here’s a do-at-your-own-pace audio workshop called Goals with Soul you can check out.

 

If you found this helpful and would like to share your thoughts - or if you’d love some daily inspiration and motivation for your wellness, self-care, and empowered living - I invite you to come join our private Living from Center Community Facebook group. I'd love to connect with you there.