From 12/30/08 Huffington Post Column:
On New Years, we tend to make resolutions which are usually promises to do something “more, better, or different” as our society seems to revolve around this notion that there is always room for improvement. We vow to exercise more, get a better job, fall in love, or find a different way to handle our stress. But does this really do us any good? Most of us start the New Year with the greatest of intentions of keeping our resolutions, yet by March (or even by the second week in January) we may not find ourselves so “resolved.” We revert back to old patterns and our resolutions become as nostalgic as the person we kissed at midnight. Could there be a different approach to kicking off 2009 that serves us better?

Every year, I take a different approach to resolutions. I resolve not to make any. I realized focusing on how to make myself or something in my life more, better, or different was not particularly inspiring. Instead, I take a new approach to January – the month of new beginnings.

If completing 2008 and manifesting 2009 sounds more appealing to you than making a list of resolutions, I invite you to follow this process and feel free to amend it any way that inspires you. Many of these suggestions follow principles of the Law of Attraction.

1. Create some time to sit quietly and write your “Year in Review.” In a journal, go through each month, beginning in January 2008, and write down anything that you remember – accomplishments, events, blessings, struggles, funny moments and so on.

2. After you have gone through the year, on a separate sheet of paper, write down what things you would like to leave in 2008. For example: being obsessed with an ex, bad eating habits, overuse of a substance, consistent self-scrutiny, road rage, swearing too much and so on. When you complete this list, burn it or rip it up into tiny pieces to really get rid of it!

3. Share your year in review with someone close to you. See what they recall, reminisce, and share a couple laughs.

4. Make a toast or light a candle to the end of 2008. I encourage you to say a prayer of gratitude for 2008 and declare you are ready to let it go.

5. Either later today or tomorrow, begin to manifest 2009. Light a new candle, put on relaxing music, get comfortable . . . set the mood.

6. Grab a blank sheet of unlined paper. As a suggestion, you may want to write at the top, “I, (your name), do lovingly manifest this or something better for the highest good of all concerned. And so it is.”

7. Without thinking or analyzing, write down anything and everything that comes to mind that you would like to create and manifest in 2009. Be specific, be creative and think big; however, your list should be at least 70% possible and believable. Write until your brain is empty – don’t worry about being greedy! Important: write everything in present tense in the “I am” and use verbs to enthusiastically express what you want. For instance, “I am joyfully cleaning out my closet and enjoying the new organization and extra space.”

8. Fold your paper up, put it into a plain envelope that you label “2009” and place it in a safe place. I create a manifestation box every year where I include this list as well as pictures and objects that are symbolic or meaningful to me.

9. As much as you may be tempted to open it or add something to your list, do not open it again until the end of this year when you do your 2009 year in review. I encourage you to think about the list frequently and believe in the possibility of your manifestation power.

10. On or around New Year’s conduct your 2009 year in review and kick off the next year with the same process!

No matter what, resolve to live your life in line with what you truly want to manifest. Rid yourself of any emotional, mental, physical, or interpersonal clutter so that you can get out of your own way. The thing about the Law of Attraction is that it takes action as well as thought and belief, so resolve this year to take steps to truly manifest your best life.

Happy New Year!