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Take time out and find some inspiration

No sooner have we managed to get over the guilt of having failed to keep our New Year’s Resolutions than we find ourselves at the beginning of March and suddenly slap bang up against Spring and a whole new start. The new season brings with it ideas of fresh beginnings and so, with renewed vigour, we re-start the diet that failed so miserably in January (well, it was very cold and it’s a well known fact that you need more food in the winter to keep warm), or we decide to give up smoking/start exercising/be more organised/save money/whatever, again, from the first of the month …OK make it the first Monday of the month … this time definitely, no excuses, no I really mean it….

The reality is, whatever time of year you resolve to do anything which involves a change of habit, chances are it’s not going to last. It just ends up making you more miserable and guilt-ridden when you give in to temptation.

Why is this? It’s because changing habits by willpower alone just doesn’t produce lasting results. To make permanent changes to our lives, we need to make more fundamental adjustments in the way we think about ourselves.

Spring is a great time of year to give yourself a mental clear-out, to de-clutter your mind and reassess where you’re going. Here are some quick tips on how to give your life a bit of spring clean:

1. Set aside the time to plan…

…and take the time to do it properly. Use the same approach you would when planning a business project. Sit down with pen and paper or your laptop. If you make a life changing resolution on the spur of the moment, or in your head, it’s unlikely to last no matter how many people you then tell about it.

2. Write it down

Write down what it is you want to achieve and be specific. The problem with setting ourselves goals is that often we are too general – we say things like “I want to lose weight/be more successful/move house/change jobs”. So, for example, don’t write “get fit”. Instead write, “Do 15 minutes of running three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays”.

3. Make it realistic

Start with specific targets that are achievable. For example, if your goal is to increase your salary, think about how much you can realistically achieve in a set timescale and write it down. Think challenging but realistic, not “This time next year I’ll be a millionaire”.

4. Set a deadline

Give yourself a set timescale and build in stages for reviewing how far you’ve come and what you’ve achieved so you can chart your progress.

5. Write down what’s stopping you

Deep down we all hold unhelpful beliefs which stop us achieving our goals. Think about how you’re preventing yourself from succeeding. For example, if you tell yourself “I don’t belong in a gym” you’re unlikely to be able to keep going even if you pluck up the courage to take out a membership. Look at what evidence there is to support these thoughts and you’ll soon realise that there is none. It’s not really the case that you don’t belong in a gym. It’s a negative thought that is not at all backed up by reality, and it’s doing nothing but stopping you from achieving your goal, so let it go.

6. Think positive

Instead of dwelling on reasons why you are bound to fail, imagine yourself living your life having already succeeded in your goal. If your goal is to be more organised, imagine yourself as a successful and together person and keep that image in your mind. If your goal is to improve your fitness, think of yourself as a fit and energetic person. If you already think of yourself as having those attributes, it won’t be a chore to put them into practice.

So, why not make a real fresh start this Spring? By starting with your mind, you’ll soon find that the physical changes will follow effortlessly.

Good luck and let me know how you get on!

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