New Year, New You?

For the past two years I have started off the new year by putting some time and thought into what I want and what I hope the new year has in store for me and bringing those thoughts/hopes/dreams to life on a vision board. Yes, it is very Oprah and "The Secret" but I'm telling you it works. Each year I've accomplished things or enriched my life for the better because I set my mind to it AND kept those thoughts/hopes/dreams in front of me every single day as a reminder.

Want to give it a try? Here is my approach.

1) Reflect and Evaluate.
Spend some time reflecting on the past year and ask yourself a few things: What are you proud of? What was fun? What was missing? What would have made it better?

2) Make a List.
Just start writing down words, thoughts, events, etc. that come to your mind when you think about how you want to live your life. It can be as specific as "Complete a Triathlon" or "Volunteer at a Women’s Shelter”, just a way of living such as "Inspired”, how you want to feel “Sexy” or “Confident” or just a desire that you need to put out in the universe like “Love”. Not everything has to be a tangible accomplishment.

3) Collect Magazines.
I take it old school with some scissors and hodge podge glue and flip through magazines and cut out words that align with my list. I just saving old In Styles, Women's Health, People, etc. You can also use pictures – maybe a picture of a gorgeous beach to inspire you to take that vacation you have been putting off for the past three years or a bikini ready body to remind you to get in the gym.

4) Live.
Once complete, my vision board typically hangs on the bottom half of my refrigerator. It isn’t the focal point and probably goes unnoticed by visitors but I know what it is and see it every single day. At the end of the year it is pretty amazing to look back and “check off” all the things on your board that you have accomplished. Some may get bumped another year and some you can’t control but it feels good knowing you tried to live your best life and sets the stage to do it all over again in the new year.

I encourage everyone to do this in one way or another. Some keep a journal, some make a list, some hang pictures on a bulletin board. Whatever works for you but the power of positive thinking can’t be denied. Reality is the mirror of your thoughts so choose well what you put in front of the mirror.  

If you are interested, here are some things I’ve accomplished the past three years via my vision board:

·         New Job (better $$, better title, better work)

·         Became Debt-Free

·         Ran a Marathon

·         Became a Self-Proclaimed Yogi (I had never done yoga before but now practice regularly)

·         Practice a Clean Diet (I still partake in beer and pizza of course but am now a lover of quinoa and kale)

·        Wrote a Blog (you’re welcome)

·        Moved (I upgraded to a bigger space that I can call my home, although I’m still a renter.   Haha)

·        Volunteer (I serve breakfast once a month at The Bridge downtown and have gotten involved in things like Relay for Life with the ACS)

·        Involved Dallasite (I’ve joined the Dallas Museum of Art Junior Associates and started a Bocce league with a friend)

·       Vacation (I have taken a REAL vacation every year and have been to Mexico and Napa twice, Asheville NC, Vegas and attended the Telluride Wine Festival)

A few items on my 2013 list are a Triathlon, Cooking Classes and Church in addition to continuing to give back, live a healthy life and be open to new people and new experiences.

New Year, New You. So, what do you want in 2013?