The New Year is here and with that comes new possibilities.

Limitless possibilities filled with the hope of a better tomorrow and change that will magnificently impact who we are, what we are and why we are if we choose to embrace it.

Maybe you feel burnt out or stuck in a rut. Maybe you’re frustrated with the way this last year turned out.

Maybe you need change and not just for the sake of change.

Maybe your mind, body and soul are crying out for ‘dramatic, electrifying, curl your toes, warm your heart, butterflies in your tummy’ kind of change.

So why not make a conscious decision to create change within your life rather than committing to yet another empty resolution?

Most resolutions are, after all, merely wishes made with little desire to follow through. Change on the other hand will come in all shapes and sizes.

It can be made in the smallest of gestures and felt in the tiniest of ways. It can also take shape on a daily basis if we believe that what we do, say and fill our minds with has the ability to mold that change.

7 Steps to Creating Positive Change for the New Year

  1. See it, feel it, believe in it 

Until you are ready and willing to make a change in your life, the possibility of change will continue to elude you. As the saying goes..”when the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” The same is true for change in all of our lives.

Subconsciously we hang onto all of our past mistakes, bad habits and self-defeating beliefs.

Letting go of those and embracing change is not easy and in fact, can be quite painful. But the end result and the feeling of freedom that follows is more then worth the journey.

 2. Embrace it 

Simply being aware of change is not enough. You must embrace the opportunity and encourage the possibility within your own life.

Have you ever felt like you were standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to make a leap but something was holding you back?

That something is fear of the unknown. Fear of change. What possibility is passing you by right this moment because you are afraid to make that leap?

 3. Romance it 

Take that change out on a date and live with it for a bit. Is it the change you were seeking or maybe just a pit stop on your way to the ultimate opportunity?

Whether it is your final destination or just a much needed night out on the town; your change will happen when and if you are ready to accept it.

Ask yourself this question: What are you risking by not stepping outside of the invisible bubble you’ve surrounded yourself with and leaping into the light of possibility?

 4. Understand it 

Understanding how change affects you and how you in turn respond is important insight.

Look back on previous change within your life; how did you react? Did you seize the opportunity and embrace it with open arms or did you fight it and push back with all of your might?

Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”

What change can you embark upon that will breathe life into your new ending?

 5. Accept it 

Once you understand, embrace and believe in your change, the next step is acceptance.

Acceptance is the moment you realize that change is an inevitable part of our lives and allows us to grow beyond our own preconceived limitations.

While last year might have brought unwanted change into your life, now is the time to create your own destiny and map that change without the tug of woulda, coulda or shoulda’s.

 6. Don’t Get Derailed 

The hardest part to any new endeavor is the anxiety felt when you believe you aren’t making progress fast enough. Stay focused on what is most important to you about this change. What end result do you desire and how will you feel when you get there?

Change is never easy and you will find yourself feeling frustrated and defeated along the way. Don’t give up!

Track your progress through a journal, calendar or even a girlfriend. However you prefer to keep track of all that’s transpiring in your life, make sure you reflect on your accomplishments.

It can make a world of difference on those days you want to throw in the towel.

  7. Celebrate Your Success! 

The road to change is littered with broken promises, unfulfilled goals and feelings of doubt and self-worth. Don’t become a tragedy along that path.

Strive to make your change one that sticks by celebrating your success along the way. A celebration can be a scoop of your favorite ice cream or the new pair of shoes you have been dying to buy.

The most important part of this is that you don’t deny yourself the simple pleasure of patting yourself on the back and saying “job well done!”