How are you doing with your New Year's Resolutions?  When a new year comes upon us many of us begin to think about what our goals and dreams are for the upcoming year.  The truth is that it is the every day of our routines and experiences that allow us to realize our dreams and reach our goals.  For instance, if we want to become fit, we need to set aside every day to move our bodies in some way whether it is by walking or using the stairs more or going to the gym or taking a yoga class.  It is the persistent repeated action which gets us to our goals 1 day at a time. If we want to eat healthier, then in any given moment when given the choice between an apple and a cookie, we need to choose the apple over the cookie more times than not in order to eat healthier.  The theory is simple, but putting the theory into action on a daily basis not so much.  Here are a few steps I have found to be helpful in reaching my goals:

• envision what it is that you want to create and write it down and keep this with you wherever you are
• “no food tastes as good as healthy feels,” this is a great mantra that you can say to yourself over and over again, especially every morning upon waking 
• write down your health goals for the day and no matter what stickK to it  
• find someone with whom you can check in on a daily basis as a “health buddy” because it is very helpful to be accountable to someone else (use Supporters and Referees when making goals on stickK)
• create a bed time ritual where you get in touch with yourself and become balanced every night before you go to sleep.  Some ideas that work are (i) lighting a candle and listening to music and sipping on green tea as you read your health accomplishments for the day or (ii) writing in your health journal your goals for the following day or (iii) doing some light stretches or (iv) reading some affirmations by candlelight and finding one which inspires you which can be your affirmation for the following day.  It is also very helpful to have tea or hot water with lemon to soothe and calm yourself before bed time.
• bring more joy into your life as much as possible and stop waiting for more money or that “special someone” to do something you would love to do.  If you want to watch a sunset on the beach, do it!  If you want to go white water rafting do it!  If you want to feed the homeless do it!  Write down your bucket list of the things you want to do before you die and get busy!

I wish for all of you a year filled with dreams that awaken into reality.