Happy New Year!

I hope you not only survived, but also enjoyed the holidays. While the parties and cookies and cocktails are fun, I’m plenty ready to settle into a new routine.

For many of us, 2019 was a rough year. Who else wants to join me in leaving behind last year’s same ole same ole, and springing forward into a new and improved vision for 2020?

If you’ve been following me for a while, you might already know I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. They so often seem negative, unattainable and quite frankly, self-flagellating.

Stop drinking. Lose that pesky 10 pounds and keep it off for good. Quit eating junk food once and for all (you moron.)

While these examples may be applicable and even needed, I find it helpful to frame things in a more positive light.

Enjoy some booze-free days each week. Find a fun new exercise class to attend. Eat more plants.

Instead of focusing on what we don’t want or can’t have, how about focusing on what we do want and what we can enjoy?

The beginning of a brand new year is a perfect time for self-reflection and retrospection. While it can be frightening to put our habits, patterns and relationships under a microscope, it’s the only way to help us move forward with purpose, and lead us to experiencing what our heart desires.

How to get what you want in 2020

Be clear about what you want and why. For example: Lower my cholesterol without prescription drugs so I can live a vibrant and healthy life.
Express gratitude for what you already have, even if it’s different from what you want. I’m grateful I get to attend a yoga class three times per week, and I want to move my body even more, to help me reach my weight goal.
Act daily to get what you want. Small hinges swing big doors. Commit to one small thing that can be done daily to help lead you towards your goals.
Be willing to do some things differently. If we want our health, our stress level or the number on the scale to be different, it only makes sense that we have to behave differently. In other words, if you keep doing what you’ve always done, you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got.

Now go, grab your journal and dream big. You’ve got this, I believe in you!