Have you made any resolutions for this year? Have they still been kept or have you let things slip? If you let anything slip, just start up again and use the slip to remind you how bad you’d feel if you slipped again. Regardless, I wanna talk to you about some resolutions worth having this year. Now, I come from my own experience and what I conceive as being worthy or having might not resonate with you but I believe that I have some idea of what helps people become happier and successful.

Resolve to BE NICE. Now, by this I don’t been plainly to smile at people and fake happiness or even be a walk over. By Nice I mean going out with the intention to make other people feel good randomly. As Richard calls it, perform RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS. This means smile at cashiers, say hi to the person you sit beside on a bus, be cheerful as often as possible and compliment at least one person a day genuinely. Do it to make them feel good and you will too.

Resolve to BE CHEERFUL. Now, as well as being nice to others, make a commitment of being cheerful as well. Cheerful people attract people because they send out a ray of positivity and friendliness. Being cheerful not only makes you more happy it has also been shown to make you more attractive to others. (think about the people you meet who greet you with a smile and a warm hello versus those who greet you with a frown and a grunt!!!)

Resolve to BE BETTER. There is some flaw in some areas of psychology and human development that suggests that we should accept who we are and avoid trying to change. That’s rubbish (technically speaking of course) simply because we are constantly in a state of change. The key is to try and become more of who we are at our best…, which is our true potential and therefore who I believe we are at our most authentic. Be Better. I personally feel I’ve learnt more from the last twelve months than the rest of my life and this year I expect to be even more. So, learn and apply the lessons as best you can so you don’t make the same mistake over and over again.

Resolve to be HEALTHY. Get enough sleep. Enough will depend on how much you need to function well, happily and with energy. Exercise regularly. Regularly could be three to seven times a week depending on how fit you want to become or whether you want to lose weight or not. EAT healthily. Make sure your eating patterns include plenty of WATER, Vitamins, Minerals, Fibre and Proteins and get enough sources of Carbohydrates and Fats. Stop smoking and cut down on drinking.

Resolve to be ADVENTUROUS. This doesn’t mean you have to climb Mount Everest. Just do different things, try things and learn things you haven’t tried or learned before. Expand your comfort zone. Let yourself explore more of what’s out there. Dare to go somewhere you’ve never been on holiday for a change. Not only will you get a real kick from the novelty but it also impacts on your brain and makes you smarter. (we like what is the same, we learn from noticing what is different)
Resolve to FORGIVE. Forgive yourself and forgive others. Accept that last year you made mistakes, some big and some small and resolve that you have learned from them and will not make the same mistakes again. Accept that others made mistakes with you big and small and they did not do so on purpose. Realise we are all on a journey and let the feelings of anger, bitterness or frustration go. If they act nicer then treat them well and if they keep acting badly then let them go too.

Resolve to BE LOVING. By this I mean, resolve to let yourself tell your nearest and dearest how you feel about them (positively). Let them know how much you care and don’t wait till you are drunk. Do it honestly and clearly. If you are worried about the potential awkwardness just have a quick escape planned after it but make sure that you let them know so that they get the message. Also, let them know randomly by text, email, flowers, a hug, a kiss… demonstrate it with variety!!! Life is too short and there are wonderful people in our lives that we need to let know this.

Resolve to DETATCH. Detaching means to let go of the unnecessary needing of your life. As my phrase goes “If you want to get what you want, you need to let go of needing it!!!” Detaching means concentrating on making yourself happy and delighted now, without what you want. The strange thing is when you do it, you goal so often comes to you. It is about being happy with living rather than possessions or status. This is also about MOVING ON from disappointments in the past to the vast reservoir of the future possibilities!!!

Resolve to make this year the BEST YEAR EVER. No matter the hard times, no matter the circumstances, no matter the heart breaks, no matter the unpleasant surprises. Next year is gonna be like… it’s always been. It’s up to YOU to be different… do all you can do, be all you can be. Learn more, absorb more, reflect more, improve more. You never know what lies around the corner… you can only know that you’ll deal with it all as well as you decide to!!!

Finally, Resolve to USE NLP MORE. I’m not plugging a training although I do highly recommend following up your skills if you area a Master Practitioner or a trainer with the John LaValle special events this year or if not then completing our other NLP Programmes. J But seriously, practise using what you have learned. Decide to implement different areas of NLP at least 5 times a weak. Use the self discipline advice below to get yourself to do it. Stop reading and thinking ABOUT NLP, PRACTISE IT… NOW!!!

So, there are ten resolutions for you to follow if you were looking for some. Take them to heart and 2004 can be the best of your life. I sincerely hope it is!!!