Include New Year's Resolutions into Your Daily Lifestyle Without the Pressure

If you are anything like me, you are completely over "New Years Resolutions" and the kind of results they might happen to bring. If you are over the age of 10, you have tried at least one and failed at that resolution and I'll tell you why. It's because a "resolution" leaves you no room for error; no room to make mistakes, and we are not perfect people. Not one of us are, so when we are expected to live up to that, we get discouraged and quit.

What I find every year, that is a lot more realistic and helpful to us is dreaming. Thinking from Thanksgiving 'till the end of the year about what you can do next year that will make you and your family's life better than you are right now. It is human behavior to have your eyes set on the Light that is ahead of you; to do something better, to get a better job, or move to a better house and neighborhood. We don't need resolutions to look for improvements in these areas......these are our dreams. Most people just need some help in plans to get them on the way to where they want to go.

Your nightly dreams is where your dreams start. Then by daydreaming they come into form. Nightly dreams come from the spirit, which is what God has given you. They might come in a subtle way, like seeing a beautiful lake in a dream, and you kept meditating on that and now you have the desire to live by a lake. You can chalk that little seed of a beginning to anything that you want to do. (Though you might attribute some of those 'night visions' to the pizza you had at mid-night, ha-ha)

Have you ever noticed that you don't have dreams when you have gotten "plastered" the night before, or had a lot to drink? Drinking liquor until you're intoxicated will simply numb your brain cells, and most likely kill a lot of them, so that while you are sleeping, the transmitters in your brain are numbed and there's no transmission of dreaming. Using chemicals, which is illegal by the way, may cause hallucinations, but these are chemically induced and not considered natural dreams.

A REM sleep pattern for a human will usually give 4-5 dreams a night, though you probably won't remember them all. It is these nighttime dreams that subconsciously keep us encouraged and hopefully moving ahead, or warned of something - and it's all subconscious. We can't take the credit for any of it; it is God working in us.

But your sleep pattern is essential to your life and it's progress. So let's say right here that sleep is significant in a human's daily life and that generally means 7-8 hours a night. It is important on so many levels, but there is a saying that says "without a vision, people will perish." That word vision is equal to dreams, so without a dream, something to look forward to and to work towards, people will not survive.

Now this brings us back to those thoughts and dreams that you have for yourself for next year. In this day and age, the most important thing is to remain hopeful! In addition to that there are some other tactics that you can use to make success come through. Here is a list to get started and remember that these are NOT written in stone so if you get off track, just get back on where ever you find yourself. Get ready. Here we go!

Wanting a new job next year -

a) everyday check online, your local newspaper and employment agency for jobs.
b) Make a budget on your expenses that you have right now, so you can plan how much you will want in a new job.
c) If you're looking for a different location - state, etc. - check their listings everyday. You might find a company that you are presently working, that has companies in other locations that you can transfer to.
d) Most importantly, keep your dream out in front of you at all times and never give up! God loves to answer prayers.

Wanting to move:
The same is for a new job; check sources for the kind of city you would like to live in, where it is located, and what it has to offer you, job availability, recreational parks, etc. These things need to be researched before you make any substantial plans because they are such big changes.

Making behavioral or physical changes: this includes loosing weight, quitting smoking, reducing anger, or anything that involves changing a habit. First of all, check and see if there are any groups for these behaviors in your town. It is always more supportive to join in with others who are in the same boat, and then you can have these people to be accountable to.

If you are in it by yourself, find out as much as you can about these life changing areas. Then make yourself some small goals, maybe 2 months apart, and give yourself a small reward when you get to each marker. Remember these are lifetime changes so you want your positive change to stick.

Now, say you have decided to work out or buy fresh foods (which causes you to shop almost daily) or taking a walk everyday for your health, or a task that requires you to get into action. The best thing is to just pick a day and start out. You can purchase all the items you need for task (shoes, clothes, books on information) and start reading about the task, but try to do this AS you get started. That way it will keep you interested in the beginning. Start out for 10 minutes, do that for a few days and then move to 15. There is no hurry - it's not a "resolution" but a life change and you want to feel comfortable adding (or subtracting) this item in your life.

In any attempt, remember to ask for help when you need it and just keep smiling. Life is getting better just a little bit at a time; just one step in front of the last. You cannot fail - just get back on track again.
Good luck on your new adventures (not resolutions) and have a Happy New Year!!