Making 2017 a Good Year

The start of the year is a great time to reflect on your life and how you would like it to be. Unfortunately, plenty of people make sincere resolutions to improve their life or their health which only last a few weeks, then they fall back into their old patterns. Often the biggest obstacle is our own subconscious mind. Our subconscious is stronger than our conscious mind, so if you and it are pulling in different directions, sooner or later your subconscious will win. The trick is to get your subconscious to work for you rather than against you, and the best way to do this is to train it to associate your goal with nice images and good feelings.

Here are a few methods that have worked well for me.

• The most important thing is to make it a positive and enjoyable process.
• Start with the big picture- think about the direction you want your life to go, and the reasons why. (Such as “I want to lead a fit, active and healthy life, so I can enjoy playing and doing things with my kids (and their kids) for most of my life.”)
• Then create Goals rather than make resolutions. Make them positive things to move towards rather than away from.
• Create SMART goals, that are

• Specific
• Measurable
• Attainable
• Relevant
• Time Framed

For example, “I will create a fitter and healthier body by going for a pleasant 20 minute walk twice a week, and enjoying a tasty and healthy meal from my new cookbook at least once a week. Then, in June I will successfully climb Mt Ngungun in the Glasshouse Mountains.”

• Picture yourself having already reached your goal, and enjoying the feelings of happiness, satisfaction, triumph or enjoyment that come with achieving it. This will help your subconscious to want your goal as well, and once this happens, your journey becomes much quicker and easier.
• Pictures also work well to help get your subconscious on your side. Make up a ‘vision board’ or even a piece of paper with your goals set out and pictures on it that represent you achieving those goals. Put it up somewhere you will see it every day (such as on your bathroom mirror), and at least one a day use it to visualise yourself having achieved your goals, and feeling all the wonderful feelings that come with that.

These techniques may sound a little ‘out there’, but when used well they are surprisingly effective.

Roadblocks

• Make a start. There is a saying that if you are not going forwards you are going backwards.
• Make an effort, but don’t force yourself. Your subconscious will adjust to your new routine if you do it gently. As soon as you start to force yourself, your subconscious will fight back against you.
• If you ‘fall off the wagon’ once or twice and neglect the things you committed to, don’t beat yourself up over it. You want your subconscious to always associate your goals with good feelings, never bad ones. Just pick up where you left off and keep going.
• Don’t be afraid to adjust your goals up or down. If you find exercising 3 times a week is too hard, do it twice a week instead. Or if you have gotten comfortable with your new routine, take it up a notch higher.

If you are serious about improving your health, consider seeing a qualified health professional, such as an experienced naturopath, or book in for one of our free Comprehensive Health Assessments.

Why not make 2017 the year you changed your life for the better?