July 29, 2012

I wrote this post on January 1 and somehow it got lost… so I’m posting it.  Treat it as a reminder to what you promised in January.

Revisit your promises – did you keep them?

If not, read on….

This is the time we typically sit down and state what we want to do in the upcoming year…. And perhaps that’s where we first go awry.  We often phrase our resolutions like this….

I will…

  • go to the gym
  • eat healthy
  • organize my closet
  • communicate more openly, etc.

And implicit in all these “I wills” is the hidden word “TRY”.  We state these commitments as something we will do rather than in the context of who we are.  When we declare who I am is  “someone who goes to the gym”, something very powerful happens – our entire body shifts.

Try it… and observe the subtle shift in your body.  State – I go to the gym every morning”  –  what happens in your body?  Were you leaning forward or backward; was your spine straight or slumped; were your shoulders forward or back and what was happening with your breath.

Now state – “I go to the gym every morning”.  What do you experience this time?  Did you notice anything different in your posture, your breath your overall attitude?

When I experimented, I definitely noticed a shift in my physical being that added strength and conviction to my words.   So using the example, “I go to the gym every morning” – what immediately arises are actions I will need to take to make that happen – like set my alarm clock, or pack my bag.  Stating my resolution in this manner is no longer a question it’s who I am and the actions flow naturally from that way of being.

So take your resolutions and restate them as “I statements”  and observe what happens.  I’d love to hear from you – email me with your findings.