Achieve Your Dreams in 2016

We say the words “Happy New Year” without really thinking about what they mean. Stop for a moment and think, “what do I really wish for the receiver of my greeting?” Is it happiness? Or something more? Perhaps for the people you really care about, you are wishing that they have a healthy, happy, successful and abundant year ahead. You may also wish against negative occurrences such as health problems, relationship problems or financial crisis. All good things to be wishing for that person. But what about yourself?

The New Year is a great time to think about what you want for you in the coming months. Many make New Year’s Resolutions. But disappointingly, by the end of January, many of us are failing miserably. Same old, same old. As a coach I see this time and time again. People slip back into old habits. As a coach my mission is to help people make progress towards and start achieving their dreams. Here are some ideas to get you started:

7 Steps to Achieving Your Dreams in 2016

1. Get clear on where your life is now. Are you content with your life? Are there things that need to be changed urgently?

2. Decide what change you want to create in your life. Do you want to achieve a big goal this year, like taking that long awaited trip to Iceland or returning to work after a career break? Or are there areas of your life that you would love to change, like improving your physical or mental health or clearing the clutter from your home?

3. Create a strategic plan for change. This should include an exploration of your value system, strengths and weaknesses and very importantly WHY you want this change.

4. Get help. We humans are social creatures, we work better with others. Create a group of people to support you. Note the word “support”. Chose only people who will be a positive influence. You may need to recruit an expert: an expert coach if you need information, support and accountability, a business advisor if you need business advice or a physician if you have a significant health problem.

5. Take action. Sadly daydreaming does not create the change you desire. You must take personal responsibility for your life and take persistent, positive action towards your goals.

6. Deal with barriers to change. Now if all of the above were easy, each and every one of us would be living our dream life. Creating change is hard. Barriers include our own mindset, which often sabotages our efforts with excuses, negative thinking and bad habits. Other barriers are more practical such as the economy, lack of good childcare or health problems. Most barriers can be overcome or their impact diminished. First you must identify and acknowledge them and take steps to reduce their influence.

7. Review progress and celebrate successes, even tiny ones. Our brain loves to be rewarded: a gold sticker on homework, a certificate of achievement at the end of a course, a word of thanks from a colleague and so on. So it is essential to our progress that we build rewards into any change process. That way we get little doses of happy chemicals secreted into our brain, making the whole process much more satisfying. So plan regular reviews of your progress and reward success. If you are falling short of your goals, be brutally honest about why. Learn from your mistakes and do better next time.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to turn your resolutions into reality, your dreams into your life. Seize the moment and take steps today towards creating change in your life.

Author. Dr Leonaura Rhodes is a physician turned coach, who helps people transform their lives with a unique combination of coaching and neuroscience. She works as a Life Coach and Health Coach and Corporate Wellness Consultant. She is also author of “Beyond Soccer Mom: strategies for a fabulous balanced life”.  To learn more about how Leonaura’s work can benefit your life or business visit www.DrLeonauraRhodes.com & www.WellbeingInYourWorkplace.com.