Energise your plans for 2016

How can you make the most out of the next 12 months? Here is my little methodology below; it is not about resolutions or loads of goals. I do this every year and it seems to work every time for me.

It starts with INTENTION.

Choose 3 themes to focus on for 2016 (it can be 1 or 2, but keep it to no more than 3 in total)

e.g. Creativity - needing more creative expression in your life.
e.g. Adventure - wanting to explore outside your comfort zone.
e.g. Planning - wanting to get more organised in life.
e.g. Career - wanting to make the next steps.
e.g. Health - resolving a health issue or feeling more vital and energised.
e.g Love/Connection - feeling more supported, connected and loved in the world.

There are 100's to think about - but choose what THEMES are important to you. Then add in FOCUS

Where in your life can you inject those themes through actions - e.g. with creativity people often think it is blocked into chunks of personal time like painting or art etc. But stretch these themes into work (how can you do more creative {thinking/strategic/innovative}  tasks at work), into your life (cooking, gardening, designing, photography, writing, music),  into relationships (spending times with friends doing creative stuff together), into your communication (finding creative ways to communicate) and more.  

Try adding some of these ideas or actions into your diary to remind you to do them. I always colour code my diary into green (health), pink (fun), orange (learning), blue (work tasks) and yellow (travel)...

Reflect on HABITS.

What 2 habits do you need to STOP doing to meet your intended themes?
e.g. I need to STOP saying "yes" to demands on my time (so i have the time to get my life organised and in order)

What 2 habits do you need to START doing to meet your intended themes?
e.g. I need to commit to exercise three times per week minimum ( to meet my health focus)

This is a good exercise to see what you were doing last year that worked against you achieving these plans.

REFLECT every 3 months on your themes to see how on track you are and if you can see what challenges are holding you back. Once you pinpoint any blockages, work out ways to let go of these blocks in ways that are kind to yourself. This might mean therapy, coaching, or some great D&M's with people close to you for some feedback.

e.g. If my exercise plans fall over - do i need an accountability partner to exercise with or a personal trainer to support me? What do my friends and family see as my biggest hurdles to getting fit?

MY TOP tips for staying energised about your THEMES:

1. Don't judge yourself for supposedly failing at your attempts; try a different path to success if one doesn't work out
2. Seek support outside of yourself; we are not meant to do everything alone are we?
3. Remember that you can meet your goals by energetically manifesting them (meditation, lucid dreaming, thinking positively) as well as logically manifesting them (doing the physical actions that bring you closer to it)
4. Ensure your themes/goals are in line with your personal values; if one of your values is REST and RELAXATION - don't attempt to meet your career goals by working 14 hour days!
5. Review your progress and do some self-work; if your themes tend to be the same each year and you never seem to grasp that thing or feeling - then perhaps start to seriously look at your limiting beliefs, blocks and trauma holding you back
6. Make them exciting and personal - if your heart isn't engaged, then using willpower to force your themes is a hard and clunky battle
7. Lastly; expect some level of discomfort. Change always brings the unknown and will leave you feeling a bit vulnerable. Expect to feel uncomfortable sometimes.