What's your word for 2013?

26 December 2012

I receive coach Christine Kane’s weekly e-zine and from time to time I read an article that I think is so good I reprint it here (with permission, of course). I read the article I’m reprinting today early this morning and it proved to be really thought provoking. I downloaded the Word of the Year Discovery Tool and quickly honed in on a word that I think will be my driving force in 2013. (More on that in a future post.) I hope you have as much fun with this tool as I have!

— Janine

Resolutions? Yawn! Here’s a Better Way to Start Your Year…

Written by Christine Kane

The regulars at the gym are already joking about it.

“Have a good workout now,” they say. “Cuz next week, it’ll be lame in here.”

That’s because all the folks who have – yet again – made their New Year’s Resolutions will show up. They’ll stick around for a while. Then, around Valentine’s Day, the regulars get to have their old gym back.

I happened to catch a radio talk show a few years ago where the hosts were discussing the most common New Year’s Resolutions and the average success rate. Among the most common were Get Organized, Be More Spiritual, Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, and Spend More time with the Family.

(Yawn.)

I don’t know about you, but this kind of To-Do List approach to life transformation does little to inspire me. And it doesn’t surprise me at all that the success rates were pretty depressing.

Why Resolutions Don’t Work

The reason most resolutions don’t work is that they address only one level of your life. The DO level. It’s the DO-HAVE-BE model.

“I will DO this thing.” (i.e., Lose weight)

“…so I can HAVE this other thing” (Self-Esteem)

“…and I can BE this thing.” (Confident.)

The average New Year’s Resolution doesn’t address the core of the issue – the “BE” level.

The best order for creating positive changes in your life is the BE-DO-HAVE model. This means you start from the BE level. When you begin changing on the BE level of your life, then the DO level and the HAVE level follow more easily.

When you start only on the DO level, then all the blocks on the BE level will often become the obstacles you can’t overcome.

A Better New Year’s Ritual

Many years ago, I decided that, instead of making resolutions, I would pick a word that would guide me throughout the year. It would be my touchstone. It would remind me of living my life at the BE level.

This didn’t mean that I didn’t take action. It meant that our actions were inspired from the BE level. In fact, I took more action than ever with this new approach! (My words have even led me to hit the million-dollar mark in my business!) I share all about that in my Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool.)

How to Choose Your Word-of-the-Year for 2013

If you want to get some serious clarity around your word to really accelerate your 2013… click here to download my free Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool. It will walk you through my complete ritual and guide you into a higher level of intention for creating your year.

Here’s the gist of it:

Get quiet over the next few days. And pick a word for the year.

Then, hold that word in your mind throughout the year, and let your word guide you to take action.

For instance, let’s say you are one of the many people who would normally choose Get Organized as a resolution. You look around to see clutter and crap all over your life. You’re tired of the chaos. So, you think, “I need to get organized. That should be my Resolution this year.”

But then you read this article. You decide to try it.

You sit with your clutter. You spend a few days pondering words that will inspire you. You realize in an “Ah-Ha!” moment that you tend to cling to lots of things. You’re scared to let go. So you choose the word “Release” because it inspires you in a bigger way than “Get organized.”

So, every time you approach your clutter you remind yourself of that word. “Release,” you say softly. You start to let the clutter go.

Eventually, you realize that you’re still holding on to lots more than just physical clutter. You realize that you hold onto resentment at old relationships. “Release,” you remind yourself.

You realize that holding on is affecting your diet and health. “Release” applies to some of the extra weight you’ve gained as well.

Throughout the year, you can see clearly how much you hold on. “Release” is your touchstone. It grows you throughout the year. It becomes your guiding force, not your harsh standard.

Your clutter became your teacher simply because you shifted your intent towards it. This wouldn’t have happened if you’d opted only to “Get Organized.”

What word to choose?

Many people know immediately which word resonates with them. For others, a little contemplation is required.

My Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool contains a complete list of words to inspire you. You can download it here.

My biggest advice is to sit with it. When a word is the right word, it will keep showing up in your mind until you nod and say, “Ah. That’s the one.”

Download my Word-of-the-Year Discovery Tool. It’s free (and it’s cool!)

Happy New Year everybody!

Christine Kane is the Mentor to People Who are Changing the World. She helps women and men Uplevel their lives, their businesses and their success. Her weekly Uplevel You eZine goes out to over 20,000 subscribers. If you are ready to take your life and your world to the next level, you can sign up for a FREE subscription at http://christinekane.com.

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About Janine

Hello! I’m Janine Adams — a certified professional organizer based in St. Louis, and the creator of Peace of Mind Organizing®.

I love order, harmony + beauty, but I believe that the way that you feel about yourself and your home is what truly matters.

If you’re ready to de­clutter with a purpose and add more ease to your life, you’ve found the right blog — and you’ve found the right company.

read more »

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