Start the New Year Right with Mindfulness

The New Year Is HERE, it is the perfect time to set goals for yourself and work on

improving your daily habits and routines. One amazing practice to begin is mindfulness.

Here is more information about mindfulness and how to incorporate it into your routine

beginning in the new year.

Mindfulness is more than a trendy world. It's an age-old practice that involves meditation

and focus. Being mindful means you're fully engaged in the present. Although there are

plenty of things in life that can distract you from your goals, by being mindful you will

improve your odds of sticking to your resolutions. Here's how you can use mindfulness

to stick to New Year's resolutions:

Start with a Plan

The first step to focusing on what you need to accomplish is defining what you need to

accomplish. Create a plan on how you'll achieve your New Year's resolution, and then

stick with that plan. You can do this by making a list or setting some milestones for the

year. Once you complete your plan, you'll be ready for the next step which is executing

your plan.

Remember that when you are putting this plan together for your new years resolutions,

you are ensuring it is realistic and attainable. Many resolutions and goals that people

set in the new year fail not out of lack of motivation, but more because they were just

not achievable.

Use the SMART goals method, where you make sure you can measure the results, it is

realistic, attainable, and that you understand the steps required in order to reach that

goal.

Execute Your Plan

Depending on your goal, you may have daily tasks to stick with your resolution. Set

yourself up for success by committing to completing these tasks each day. Make a to do

list, and then focus on your mission. When you're working on a task, set aside all other

distractions and worries. Your plan and your list will keep you on track. Trust yourself

and your goals. Then stay in the moment.

As long as you have a good plan in place, you will be more willing to get it done right.

Envision Yourself Completing Your Goal

Use daily meditation to keep yourself on track. Some people make vision boards, but

meditation is a great way to stay focused. During your mediation, envision yourself

achieving your goal. You can chant your goal out loud if that helps you. But any

committed act that regularly reminds you of your goal will keep you focused on the

prize.

Allow Yourself to Take Breaks

Mindfulness is a matter of being present, and acknowledging ylness is all about staying in the present. If you're constantly thinking about your

resolution and ignoring all else, it won't matter how mindful you are of your resolution.

You will have missed out on a great deal of matters that require mindfulness each day.

By using your plan as a guide, allow yourself to let go of the constant pressure of

achieving your goals. Trust that your plan will be successful and stay in the moment. It

doesn't matter if that moment is movie night with friends or a goal-related task.

Open Yourself to Opportunity

By practicing mindfulness, you'll be ready and open to opportunities that come your

way. You never know who or what may help you achieve your resolutions. So enter

each experience with an open mind and an open heart. You'll be surprised how many

new experiences may shape your year.

Your New Year's resolution may change as you maintain mindfulness. Remember that

mindfulness itself can be a goal. Enjoy the journey.

Why Mindfulness Helps?

If you don't understand this part quite yet, here is a little explanation of how mindfulness

works, and how it can really help with your resolutions.

Mindfulness is a matter of being present, and acknowledging your current thoughts or

how you feel. You are not forcing positive thoughts, and you aren't trying to push them

out of your mind. This is not meditation where you need a clear head.

It is okay if those negative thoughts come into your mind, as long as they are only

relevant to this moment in time. If you are trying o be mindful while eating because you

have a goal to lose weight, you shouldn't be thinking about work you have to get done