New Beginnings: Looking ahead to 2013

I can confidently say that every year of my life is always better than the last. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that New Year is my favorite time of year. Now I know that it's a bit early to talk about new year but I believe in creating a powerful transition from one year to the next.  Plus soon, holiday season will start and we'll be enthralled will all the commotion that surrounds the Holidays.  I'd like to start preparing for the year ahead while there's still time.

I take great joy in my annual ritual of mentally preparing for the upcoming year.  This is the time to leave unwanted things behind and bring forth new experiences into our lives. I like to start this process by reliving all of the glorious happenings of the present year.  Sometimes we ask for things, get it,  and miss out on the fact that we've received because we're so focused on the next thing we want.   I'm grateful for all I've received (good or "bad").  After I've filled my entire being with the feeling of gratitude and abundance, then I can prepare to establish new goals.

I'm starting this process months before the end of the year because it entails both a mental and physical process.  Last year, I invested a two week's worth of time off to purge my environment of all of the clutter and random items that accumulated over the years.  Most of these items no longer served their purpose.  All they did was take up space.  The more space that is occupied, the less energy available for creation.  A blank canvas provides the space for the greatest possibilities.  If a picture is already painted, then nothing new can be created.

I watched a program once where Robert Kiyosaki (author of Rich Dad, Poor Dad) shared these powerful words. "if you want to change your life, change your environment. Your environment is more powerful than you are."  Those words resonated with me immensely.  When I placed my focus on changing the environment of my home the last two weeks of last year, it was like I was surrounded by such a powerful energy as I glided from room to room.  The way I felt was indescribable but it came only after I invested days altering my current environment. The same will go for this year.  As I did before, I'll create a plan of action on which areas I'll declutter and seek out sources of inspiration on how I will create my new environment.   Once that is completed, I can begin the work of aligning my goals.

I'm starting this process in the month of October so that I can build new habits even before the new year begins. While everyone is just figuring out which "resolutions" they'll be creating for the year on January 1rst, I would have already begun bringing my intentions into existence. It's my way of getting a head start.

One day, as I laid in my bed partially asleep, I dreamt that I encountered a wise, successful man who had achieved financial abundance. This man seemed very busy and I knew that I only had enough time to ask him one single question.  My question to this man was concise. I asked him "what is the one thing that separates successful people (like him) from the "unsuccessful."  The turned to me, and quickly responded "their decisions" (choices), then walked away.  Immediately I woke up and muttered to myself "it's my choices." 

So as the new year approaches, I will quietly observe and scrutinize the choices I make on a daily basis.  These choices make up my current reality. I'm not just talking about those big decisions that require us to reflect or ask our friends and family for sound advice. I'm talking about the seemingly minuscule decisions we make every moment of the day, from how I chose to spend my time, to how I chose to interact with my husband, how I chose to think, how I chose to start my day, spend my money, what I chose eat, how quickly I chose to take action......all of it!

I'll start by identifying those choices I consistently make that I think are the most destructive.  And by destructive, I mean to say the choices that create outcomes that aren't aligned with my goals.  If my goal is to have a toned, firm body, then I can't achieve that by choosing to surf the web (or do whatever else) instead of going to the gym. If I desire to create greater financial abundance, the choices I make starting today must be similar to those who already are living abundantly.  Once I identify my currently destructive choices,  I can begin the process of formulating alternative choices I'll make that bring me closer to my intentions and goals.

I absolutely love new experiences and new beginnings and nothing makes me happier than the start of a new year.  The great thing about starting this early is that I still have 2.5 months to make a huge impact and finish 2012 strong. From there, I can be certain that the year ahead will be phenomenal.