Resolutions for the New Millennium Richard I Jontry, Ph.D.,
MAC, CAC Diplomate Whatever our style of making, ignoring,
struggling with, or keeping New Year's Those individuals who previously have taken their New Year's resolutions seriously will probably prepare with more thoughtfulness and rigor in making their current list. Those who have managed to avoid or minimize the process will no doubt be feeling an inner tug to pay some attention to this year's list. After all, this New Year's eve is of historic importance. However, beyond the threats and catastrophyzing about Y2K, the most significant importance of this year's turnover may be experienced internally, in the lower layers of our psyche and in the threads that weave our emotional tapestry together. This New Year's will be different. Our computers, our culture, and our media has made it different and we cannot escape the impact the bombardment of messages on our psyches no matter how hard we try or view ourselves as independent thinkers and actors. Like it or not you are going to be responding to the reality that this is a different year's end change into another year—and that there is personal importance in your attending to what you have done with your life up till now. Pretty heavy. And no getting around it. You know the power of a crowd's energy at the Olympics, World Series, and Grand Prix. Well folks, this is the world's energy. And it is telling us all that this New Year's is different. And our psyches' are responding to that, even if we don't want them to. This New Year's, more than any other in our lifetime will be a time when we will consider our lives, consider what we've done and haven't done; consider our shortcomings and what we know deep inside we have been procrastinating about and postponing. This New Year's will be different – guaranteed. I invite you to begin preparing for the millennium now. Open the door of consciousness to begin exploring what you know you need to consider in order to become more the chairperson of your board. You'll enter the new millennium better prepared to respond to your psyche's challenges and free of the guilt those who ignore the challenge will wake up facing on New Year's day. I believe that if we don't prepare our psyche's for the new millennium they will present us with more inner turmoil than out computer glitches ever could. Instead of waking up and running to your computer on New Year's morning, take a leisurely 10 – 20 minutes and meditate on your soul's condition. Where have you been and where are you going. What have you done to guide your life in the direction you know inside you are destined to head in; and what have you neglected or ignored. And if you really believe you don't know your true life's direction— what have you done to find out—and what have you done to avoid the question? These are crucial questions as you prepare for the new millennium. If you know someone who knows these answers for themselves you might consider asking them how they know. One of the adjustments you might consider adding to you way of approaching getting wherever you're going is beginning to ask for help when you need it. Someone once said—“you have to do it alone, but you can't do it by yourself.” Starting right now, begin to review those items, behaviors, habits, and interactions you have been thinking about changing. Begin to review who you are – as a person and as a rider, instructor, husband, wife, lover, brother, sister, daughter, son, barn manager, groom, or judge. You know more than anyone else on this planet what may be array and need attending to so you are more capable and able to be the person you strive to be. Look realistically at what you have been too lazy, anxious, afraid, angry, stubborn or unwilling to change or modify in your life. Look deep and hard at what would be a “realistic” goal regarding change or modification—then write down a goal for yourself to achieve. Make certain it is a goal that is realistic, obtainable, achievable and worthwhile. Make certain it is a goal you can accomplish. Write it down. Write down what you need to do (the steps) to achieve it. The next step is to write your own built in 22-day warranty. Studies have demonstrated that a new habit will become “locked in” if you make the desired change a conscious choice, without fail, for 21 consecutive days. The 22nd day the new behavior will have become automatic. I invite you to close your eyes and visualize all the things you might say to yourself to convince yourself that you really don't need to do this. Visualize all the situations that you know might occur that could weaken your resolve and threaten your success. Imagine all the people you could convince that you really don't need to do this silly thing. In other words, anticipate your own expertise at sabotaging yourself. Once you have identified these thoughts and maneuvers allow yourself to think about specific counter measures you can implement to keep yourself on track. In a previous article (Stableviews – More On Energy) I wrote about how our Core Beliefs unconsciously guide and control our behaviors. Check out your beliefs about “I will be happy making this change,” and “I know this change is for my ultimate good.” Introduce these beliefs into your unconscious. They will guide you into the new millennium and support you in staying true to your resolutions. Visualize yourself having made the change and hear yourself telling yourself how good you feel about having achieved your goal. Congratulate yourself in your visualization. One of the keys to making
and keeping resolutions successfully is to resolve to do
only what is your choice and what you know is
right for you. Making resolutions for others doesn't last
for long. The resolution, the change, needs to be
congruent and acceptable to who you are as a person and
where you want to be heading as the new millennium
begins. The millennium presents us with a wonderful
opportunity to adjust our course, and like all
opportunities—the choice is yours to accept it or
let it pass by. Happy New Year! |