New Year goals are an exciting and important way to start a year. We have had time to think over our lives and assess what may need to be changed. The New Year gives an opportunity to start these changes and we set ourselves new goals. Once the initial enthusiasm wears off it can be difficult to stick with these goals, and rather than face disappointment it is better to set your goals well and with a realistic strategy for achieving them.
Achieving healthy goals should be an on-going process which doesn't only happen in the New Year. The important thing to do is to know what you would like to achieve and consider how to get there. Make your goals realistic and consider that change and improvement is on-going. Each step can be teeny, but put over a few months big changes happen.
Our world is a manifestation of our thoughts and if these are negative we will have negative experiences in our lives. If we think positively our life will become more positive. It is important to expect that you are capable of achieving your healthy goal.
There are six steps to achieving healthy goals:
1. Keep it in the present... 'I am or I allow myself to be' 2. Keep it positive. 3. Keep it simple and achievable. 4. Put yourself in the goal, picture yourself achieving the goal. 5. Focus on the end result; not the process of doing it. 6. Picture how it will be when you have achieved this goal.
Release negative thoughts. To fine tune your goal you can add this final step.
It is not always easy to identify negative thoughts but if you have great difficulty achieving a goal, consider if you are blocking it with some negative thoughts or expectations.
To do this, sit in a quiet space. Think about your goal and imagine what it is like to have achieved it. Check for any thought that comes up that is contrary to you having what you want. Welcome this thought, and then acknowledge that you have the right to have your goal and release the negative thought. You may need to repeat this procedure until the negative thoughts have cleared.
It is not always easy to achieve change by yourself. Acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine help to do this. Acupuncture and herbs unblock blocked emotions that can be preventing change. They reduce cravings and give the body a feeling of harmony and well-being. Your acupuncturist will advise you on goals that will benefit you and can help you achieve them by supporting you, discussing areas of difficulty and through treatments.
Remember it takes at least two months to create a new habit. A long journey starts with the first step.
Maureen Cromey
Maureen Cromey is a highly respected acupuncturist with over twenty years of experience. She specialises in breast cancer both during and post treatment, nutritional advice, paediatrics, cosmetic and fertility acupuncture and is based out of Harley Street and Chiswick. www.goodacupuncture.co.uk
