By now, you have selected your word for this year after much consideration, and when it comes to mind, it makes you feel an emotion, like:

Happy
Inspired
Content
Encouraged
Determined
Grounded…

Or _____________- fill in the blank.

I find that keeping the word someplace where I can see it throughout the day is an excellent way to keep it top of mind. 

One of my colleagues created a beautiful screensaver with her word which she sees constantly because she spends most of her day in front of her computer!  

As I mentioned, I have my word on my board in my office and in my planner pages. It’s a daily reminder for me to make decisions and take actions that align with my word: F L O U R I S H.

The bible tells us, “But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.” --James 1:22 NASB

This is a strong call to take action, yes?

As your progress on your journey towards your goals this year, remember we goal achievers believe that words are powerful, and the words you hear and the words you say to yourself create an environment of either advancement or resistance.

Thoughts (Words) to Feelings to Actions To Results

Become aware of your thoughts!

Your thinking is your greatest obstacle to success! It can also be your biggest ally to success. You are in charge of both!

A big challenge to changing the way you think is when you are presented with something negative and you don’t know how to feel good about it. 

That’s when the ability to reframe a thought is good.

Reframing thoughts is important to achieve your goals because remember— your monkey mind does not like change and will start to throw up obstacle thoughts when you attempt to challenge yourself.

The good news is that you can ask yourself questions in order to quickly take back control from your monkey mind!

Ask - What if?

Questions are usually better than statements to reframe thoughts.

Ask - What would I do if...I could make more money, if I could lose 10 pounds, if I could graduate early, if I could start that business...?

Ask - How would I act if...I was already full of energy, I was a millionaire, I was debt free, I loved to eat Keto, ...?

When you ask a question, your brain does not resist and tell you that you are a little bit crazy like it does when you make declarations.

Think about the above and practice some reframing. The next time your brain says something like, “You will never have enough money to travel first class,” you stop and ask yourself, “Where would I go if I had plenty of money to travel first class?”  

You will notice a totally different internal feeling when you question a thought than when your brain makes a limiting announcement to you!

Plan to become really good at this so you can get your thoughts working for you instead of against you!

And by the way, by now, you should have at least one End of Year goal.

Here’s what I’d like you to do - write it into your calendar or planner. Then, for each month of the year, jot down a milestone that you will reach to achieve your goal by the end of this year. 

Review it daily! Track your progress and the actions you take. Make sure your Word for this year is also on display on each page as a reminder of what you are aiming for this year. Think of it as your own private energy booster!

When you manage your mind by taking your thoughts under your control, you will create an environment that promotes healthy feelings that inspire consistent action towards the very best results you can imagine.