How to bring Good Karma into your Life

Karma is often misunderstood, seen as a way of the universe getting back at someone who may have wronged you or hurt someone in some way but this isn’t the true meaning of Karma. It goes much deeper than that and has a deeper history than some may realise.

Karma is Sanskrit word meaning “action”, also in Buddhism Karma holds even more meaning, they say it relates to wilful action. This means that Karma is really rather linked in with cause and effect in our lives. The things we choose to say and do can set this law into effect.

It’s not all about the Good and Bad!

Many people talk about good karma and bad karma, Buddhists have a very different view of good and bad, they tend to focus more on wholesome and unwholesome rather than good and bad. They advise people look back to see what caused the actions in the first place.

Unwholesome actions may stem from greed or jealousy, whereas as wholesome actions will come from being a loving, caring person and selfless acts of generosity. So to focus on why we do what we do, we must look at what triggers our actions in the first place.

In Paganism it’s often seen that what you put in you get out, this is when you will hear people talk of bad karma catching up with people who are bad or unwholesome in their actions or that good karma follows around those people who are kind and genuine. They often believe that those who are good will get more from life than those who are bad, mainly because of Karma.

How to bring Good Karma to you.

Here’s a great list of how to bring good Karma into your life:

  • Don’t get angry – easier said than done in some cases but try and put things into perspective. If you’re angry at someone calmly explain why and see if you can find a solution, you’ll feel much better for taking that route. If you find your temper gets the better of you then try Yoga or mediation.
  • Think Positive – Don’t have regrets and fret over what you could have done, see failures as life lessons, things that will ultimately help you to grow stronger and succeed the next time. Be optimistic and have hope because this will create better chances in life.
  • Donate – This doesn’t mean throwing chunks of money at the nearest charity box (although that’s always a good thing!). Donating means giving, giving doesn’t have to mean money. Why not volunteer to help those less off than you? Maybe you can go see a friend or relative that doesn’t get out much and give a bit of your time and listening skills to them.
  • Sympathise – Even if you can’t help a friend in need, that’s no reason to avoid them or turn away from them. Try thinking about how others may feel and this will broaden your horizons when it comes to dealing with people in future situations, a skill that can help many!
  • Love your family – Family isn’t always blood so love those who you consider to be family to you. You may fall out, hurt one another, misunderstand and have all-out tantrums but remember to keep the love there. Once a loving bond is created with family it’s hard to break, it’s also a guard and guiding light to make you all stronger and better people.
  • Love Yourself –  This is an often used phrase but what does it mean? It doesn’t mean if you are happy just pretend you’re not and ignore it. It means you have the right to have your down or sad days but when you’re not, then remember to love and look after yourself. Treat yourself, make targets, challenge yourself and if you can’t reach goals then know you have tried your best and that is good enough because you are good enough.

All of the above will score massive good Karma points in your life and will overall help you to feel good about you, your life and those around you. It can also assist in noticing people who have bad Karma around them a bit easier and thus giving you time to either avoid them or at least be wary of their actions.

Karma is a powerful tool, make sure you know how to use it following the advice above!

Celebrating the Easter Season

Easter is a wonderful time to get together with the family and also for the children in your life to have fun. For many this is a very deep and spiritual time as they celebrate Christian events such as Jesus rising. Many say that we shouldn’t just focus on the one Easter Sunday but look at Easter as a whole and make sure to share our love throughout it.

How to Celebrate

For the very young in the family you could give them hollow eggs (not too small) with loving notes inside to share with other family members to celebrate the gift of sharing and affection.

For those above toddler age an Easter egg hunt often goes down a treat and little gifts and prizes can be shared out and given to those who collect the most. Do try and make the gifts/treats small and modest though so as not to create tension.

Pre-teens you may want to look at things from a different angle, they’re likely not to be that interested in Easter egg hunts at that age. Why not see if they can give back to the community in exchange for a treat? Maybe they can help out at a local community centre, clean up a play area or see if any local elderly/infirm neighbours or relatives need any help.

For the teenagers an afternoon or early evening away with a mentor may be a great way to speak out and spend time getting to know one another. Often when in a quieter and calmed environment some team building can really be helpful for them. Coming back to the celebration later on will give them a good balance of how to create time for themselves too as well as making some new friends.

And for the adults it’s a case of getting out there and doing something especially when it comes to family. This is a great time to gather, reflect and also see those in the family you may have not seen for a while. Even if some travel is involved it is always worth it in the end.

Eggs and Bunnies

For some Easter is purely about seeing those eggs, bunnies and other delicious foods like hot cross buns in the supermarket. But do we really know why they are in the shops? Why do we buy them?

This again comes down to Christianity, the eggs are significant of an empty tomb, where Jesus rose and emerged. Notice how the eggs we see packaged up are all hollow? Well this is why! As for the bunnies, many people know of the story of the Easter Bunny who brings sweets and chocolate. Well this is to represent Christ bringing new life for us all to enjoy.

So for those who may want to celebrate but also educate their children and family on why we do what we do then games can be played but also with the original meaning behind them. Or families can simply have a great time and enjoy the love shared at their gathering.

Easter Traditions

  • There are many traditions when it comes to Easter and here’s some more in case you may want some more ideas when celebrating!
  • Painting hard boiled eggs
  • Making and having an Easter bonnet contest
  • Telling Easter stories
  • Making food – Easter cake nests (mini eggs in cornflake cakes), simnel cake, hot cross buns
  • Making Easter cards
  • Egg rolling or egg and spoon races

As you can see there’s lots to do over Easter and whatever you and your family plan we all hope you have a wonderful time from us all here at Sundial Psychics!

 

Is it time to say No?

Many of us find ourselves agreeing to things we later regret but why do we do it? Often we worry what others may think of us and I feel a lot of the time when reading for people they panic a lot about how they are perceived.

However, another way to look at it is that there are many people out there that like strong minded people. A lot of peers and friends will gain respect for you when you say no and may even take your powerful stance into account in their own lives.

The following are some things to say to yourself when it comes to saying no:

  1. If I say no to someone and they get angry, this does not mean I should have said yes.
  2. Saying no does not make me selfish.
  3. Although I want to please the people I care about, I do not have to please them all the time.
  4. It is okay to want or need something from someone else.
  5. My wants and needs are just as important as those of anyone else.
  6. I have the right to assert myself, even if I may inconvenience others

Sometimes it can be very hard to know when to exercise your right to say no and when to just put up with things and get it over and done with. From a spiritual point of view I’m always eager to help people but I also have to know when to look after myself. As a strong psychic I’d be silly to tire myself out to the point where I couldn’t help my clients.

Intuition goes a long way in situations like this as well and whenever you get a little voice in your head or you find yourself hesitating when asked to do something then take this as a sign from the universe that maybe saying no would be in your best interests.

The more you exercise this right the more you will be able to hear and recognise the signs of someone taking advantage of you. If someone keeps asking the same from you when they promised something different then keep denying them and they will soon change their tune.

It goes to show that not only will you help yourself when being more assertive but you will also help others to see that their actions aren’t necessarily helpful to you or to themselves and that they will gain much more from life by being more balanced and more honest.

If you’re unsure when the right time to refuse things by saying no is or why someone keeps wanting you to say yes then why not speak to one of our wonderful Sundial Psychic readers?

Is Your Sprirt Guide Around You?

Our journey here on Earth doesn’t have to be lonely or confusing. We are blessed with plenty of spirit guides to help us along the way. The term spirit guide encompasses many things. A spirit guide can be a relative who has passed over, an ancestor, or even someone assigned to you by the Universe to watch over you. Some people also consider angels and animals to be spirit guides as well. No matter what type of being you work with, there are probably some signs you’ve experienced that you can relate to.

Feeling a Presence in the Room

If you feel like someone is in the room with you when you are on your own, that is a likely sign of a spirit guide’s presence. You may feel a sense of anticipation, excitement or just a state of calm and peace. No matter what, overall you usually feel safe and protected.

Feeling a Change in Temperature

Ever felt like the room has got suddenly warmer or colder or walked through what feels like a warm or cold spot in a room? That’s another indication of a spirit guide’s arrival. Etheric beings are pure energy and they often affect the energy within a room or space, resulting in a temperature change.

Sensing a Change in Energy

While you may not always sense a big change in temperature, you might still perceive some sort of energetic shift around you. Don’t doubt this feeling, it is also an indication of your spirit guide’s presence. It can sometimes feel like you know something is going to happen or there’s a sudden buzz of positivity around you! This is your guide uplifting you.

Unexplained Odours

If you smell any odour that has no physical source, this is a pretty clear sign of a spirit guide. The odour itself is often a signature scent. If you recognize your favourite aunt’s perfume or your grandfather’s cigar, it means they are right there with you. I did a reading recently to connect with a clients father and could smell coffee, she knew right away it was him!

Tingling on the Top of Your Head

Spirit guides like to get your attention by working with your crown chakra. So you may get a physical sensation because of this, manifesting as either tingling or even itching at the top of your head. The Crown Chakra is often what us mediums and psychics use when we want to open up to spirit and often when we meditate. It’s known as the centre of spiritual connection.

Sudden Emotional or Mental Flash

Do thoughts or emotions seemingly come out of the blue? It’s likely a message from your spirit guide. If the thoughts and emotions don’t sound like your own typical flashes, then it’s your guide just displaying his or her individual style. They may also show you certain places, it may be that they feel they can connect with you better when you are there. 

You Experience Little Coincidences

Perhaps you are thinking about a problem or concern you wish to share with your guide. Maybe you need more money and suddenly you find some cash in the pocket of a coat you haven’t worn in awhile. That’s a sign! Or maybe you hear a certain song on the radio or see something on TV. All these coincidences are evidence of your spirit guide giving you signs that they are with you.

Electronic or Mechanical Anomalies

Since spirit guides are composed of energy, they can influence the energy of physical objects. Electric and mechanical objects are the easiest for them to work with. If your DVD player acts weird, your digital clock flashes oddly, or your watch stops at a significant time those are signs from your spirit guide.

Your Pets Behave Differently

Animals are particularly keen when it comes to sensing energy and spirits. If your dog barks for no apparent reason or your cat appears to stare into space, it’s likely that they are having an energetic conversation with your spirit guide. Take a cue from them and try to connect! The same has even been said of babies and small children!

Items Left For You

Sometimes your guide will like to leave you a little symbol or message, this is often seen in the form of feathers, movement or reappearance of items that may be close to you or a loved one who has passed over. These all often bear significance of some kind.

Ever wondered if spirit was really around you, who it is and what they are trying to tell you? Our readers can find out the answers for you here.

 

Spring has Sprung!

Spring urges us to plant, grow and blossom. Even before the earth and air really hint at warmth, green shoots push up through the brown ground with encouragement. “You can do it,” they say. “Look at us!”

With all the newness unfolding around us, we may begin to wonder if there might not be something new we’d like to see in our lives. There may be a new skill we have always wanted to learn or a healthier habit we feel would improve our life. We may long for closer connections to those around us. This could be our family, friends and co-workers. We may find ourselves looking for ways to give back more and make a difference in the world.

So then it is up to us. We cannot wait expectantly for our lives to change if we are unwilling to take some action. As we begin to hear old familiar songs in our head, it is easy to ignore the nudges to grow and blossom. “I don’t know how,” “I am too old,” “I am too young,” or “I don’t have the time or money.” Sometimes we just don’t know what we want. So we take no action at all.

Any time is a great time for spiritual and personal growth, but there is an urgency to grow especially in the spring. The warmer weather inspires us to get rid of what we no longer need, whether it’s junk from the loft or an old habit. We may clean rubbish from a flower bed or a closet, or we may want to “clean out” our minds.

What are the limiting thoughts that come up most frequently in your mind as you consider beginning a new project, relationship or adventure? Take time to find the root of those thoughts. Ask yourself, “Why do I think that? Where have I heard that idea before?” As you find the root you can begin to change your thoughts and thought patterns.

There is a part of you untouched by all the outer judgements and criticisms. There is a spiritual essence in your being that is strong and wise and loving and powerful. Once you remember this you will be able to harness the power that will help you to change and perform the things you really want to do.

Buried beneath the clutter of those limiting thoughts, the truth of your being is pushing up in new growth. There is a belief of something in all of us, it’s within our being. As we pull out those unhelpful thoughts, we can replace them with the powerful truth of who we are and what we are capable of.

Take just a moment to be still. Close your eyes and breathe gently. What is longing to be expressed in your life? Can you hear a quiet voice, maybe in the distance, speaking the desires of your heart? Some people refer to this as your inner voice but once you are very peaceful and still or even meditating it will be more complex and amplified. Make sure you listen to it, it may surprise you!

Pick just one thing to bring into your life and trust that when you choose it and know it’s good for you, the Universe will always support you. Hold the chosen intention in your mind like a little seed. Take one small action and the seed grows.

Notice how opportunities arise and support is revealed. Observe that as you give, you receive in unexpected ways. Make a commitment to give and be ready for the growth that happens in you. find out the ways that spiritual well-being shows up in every area of your life when you are grateful for even the smallest things. Before you know it, you are off and growing!

Want to know what lies ahead for you this spring time? Our readers will connect with their guides and the Universe to help find you the answers you seek here.

Spiritual Spring Cleaning

Spring is nearly upon us and at this time many of us have a spring clean, we clear out what we no longer need and make way for better times ahead. We may even shed or pack away our winter attire and bring out the lighter and brighter garments out from storage.

And when it comes to spring cleaning, many of us are ready with mop and broom in hand to tackle every dusty corner of the house. Although checking off your list of tidying chores is a great achievement, what about a little spring cleaning for your soul? Here’s a list of essential spiritual goals to complete for a fresh outlook on life.

Rid Yourself of What May Bring You Down

Spring cleaning at home often involves getting rid of things you longer want or need like furniture and clothing. In many ways, it’s the same with your soul. To add sparkle to your soul, be sure to polish up your outlook on life and know that you can make the right changes.

Do you have relationships or friendships that no longer serve or suit you? This is the perfect time to let go. It might sound harsh to cut loose certain people and connections in your life, but is hanging on better for you, particularly if you are approaching the relationship half-heartedly or if it’s stressing you out?

That’s not helping you or the other person. Let go and free each other’s energy to pursue new friendships and adventures. By doing this you will draw the right people into your life and as such you will see more and more opportunities open up for you. People will connect with you and create more chances and more positivity in your life for the better.

Clear away Emotional Cobwebs

Cobwebs often have a way of sneaking into your home without your knowledge. Only until you start cleaning thoroughly do you realize how many there are! The same can be said of your spirit and soul, the basis of your emotional life.

There’s a very strong chance that you’ve been collecting quite a few emotional cobwebs without really being fully aware of it. Have you ignored or suppressed your feelings, thinking that you’ll deal with them later? Or maybe there is hidden resentment or grief that has stayed with you over the months or years.

Well now is the time for you to clear those emotional cobwebs. Use spiritual cleansing tools like mediation, to help you release those emotions. You’ll be much better off for it and have much more clarity in your life as a result.

Take Out the Mental Rubbish

Spring cleaning wouldn’t mean much if you didn’t take out the rubbish. Make your soul pure by taking out the mental rubbish. That means throwing out the negative thoughts. They do you absolutely no good, and just like regular rubbish that attracts flies, negative thinking attracts the flies of bad vibrations.

I know for some it’s much easier said than done but there are ways over time that you can change your thought processes. When you catch yourself putting yourself or your ideas down, stop and listen. Know that you are valid and have valuable thoughts. If someone bothers you, know that you have the power and ability to walk away from them. Others can sometimes be a big burden when it comes to beating ourselves up!

Do yourself a favour and bag up those self-defeating and destructive thoughts, and kick them to the curb! Make your good qualities and positive feelings shine and remind yourself every day just how much you are worth to yourself and others. Dust off your gratitude, appreciation and optimism. Before you know it your soul will shine for all to see!

 

Valentines Day and the Full Moon

History of Valentines

Although it’s a tradition many of us experience, the 14 th February isn’t always questioned that much as to why we do what we do. How come we shower our favourite loved one in gifts and affection? Some say that it has its roots in Roman traditions stemming from many different situations.

But history is one thing and what it means for us now is another. For many Valentine’s day is split into many different groups, mainly two though – a time where we can celebrate the love we have for our partner or a time where we hope to be with someone special.

Celebrating with the one you love

This year Valentine’s Day is very special for a lot of people, in the UK we have a full moon on the same evening and this is going to mean a lot of emotional energy is around you. This full moon shows a strong and powerful energy alongside all the thoughts of love from many people around the world.

Mixed together all this emotion is going to change lives, we will see more people finding love on this day, more people seeing those they love making a stronger commitment, marriage, moving in with one another and knowing that their future is strong.

How to find love on Valentine’s

Many think that love comes to them at this very special time of year but as I tell many of my clients, this isn’t always the case. There may well be love in the air but you will always have to put some kind of effort into things to see changes in your life. Consider that if everyone thought someone else was going to make a move then nothing would happen!

This Full Moon will push many people into taking chances, sending cards and telling others how they feel this week in order to bring a love into their life this Valentines. If you have someone on your mind then let them know how you feel, even if it’s a small nudge, the energy around us all this week will bring that true love to you.

Moon Energy

Actually there is more to it as February the 14th is the first full moon night of the lunar year, it is also the Chinese Lantern Festival, which is the day dedicated to sweethearts. It seems this Friday is this year’s magical day for a fortunate date!

Throughout the ages, almost all cultures in the world associated the first full moon of the year with a magical charm. The day officially opens the new season and welcomes the spring. The dark cold winter days will finally come to an end, and soon spring will bloom. The turn of seasons bears hope for the renewal of life cycles. This is the time to awaken feelings of love, and match lovers!

High Expectations

Although this is a really exciting time and I am one for seeing love happen to those who seek it and deserve it, there is often a lot of stress around this date for those who don’t have a love in their life or who may have recently lost love through separation or bereavement.

Try not to focus just on this day, whilst it may bring positive energy into your life, it doesn’t mean it will magically materialise your knight in shining armour or your beautiful princess at your front door.

What it can do however is set the right pathway for you, so whilst you may not be getting the full on romance treatment this weekend you may see little in-roads into meeting the right person.

A friend may mention someone they’d like you to meet, you may be drawn to a profile on a dating site, you may see the shopkeeper at your local store smile at you for the fifth time this week and actually say something.

All in all this is a time to look at love and what is possible and if you are on your own then remember to contact other single friends and why not arrange a night out/in to celebrate the fact that you yet have love to come to you but also remain positive that Mr/Mrs Right is indeed out there and you’re on the right highway to meet them this year.

If you are wondering who you will be with this Valentines then please do let one of our highly skilled psychics guide you, they have prepared strongly for this Valentine’s Day and have a wealth of information waiting for you on what lies ahead for your love life this Valentine’s Day.

The Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction says you can manifest (meaning bring to life or into your life) anything you give enough concentration to. By giving your attention to a thought, you activate that thought’s vibration, and the Law of Attraction will cause more vibrations like it to be drawn to it.

Once enough energy is gathered, the vibration becomes physical. But what does that look like in the practical sense? If I think about world peace with laser like focus, will I just wake up one morning and find all wars have ended? Nope! That’s not usually how it works. Manifestations don’t just tend to drop out of the sky.

But how does it work?

Many people ask me the above, I tell them that the Universe brings us our manifestations through the path of least resistance. That doesn’t mean what is easiest for the Universe (there are no limits there, the possibilities are infinite). It’s what’s easiest for you to allow. This is why negative beliefs have the ability to block your manifestations, they vibrate at an often opposite frequency to what you desire and shut down pathways that could lead you to the things you want.

In order to manifest something, we have to give it enough focus to bring it into the physical AND we have to make sure  there are no opposite beliefs preventing it. So, if you want a true love to come into your life, not only do you have to spend some time thinking wonderful, positive thoughts about the potential love, but you also have to ensure that you don’t harbour any beliefs such as “I’m always going to be single”, “There’s no one out there for me” or “It’s impossible for me to be loved”, etc.

Always be positive!

So, let’s say you have no contradictory beliefs to having the true love. You think love is great, it’s absolutely possible for you to receive true love from someone in some way, and it doesn’t even really feel like a big deal to you. How will the Universe deliver this desire? We’ve already concluded that it’s not just going to come from nowhere.

The Universe delivers in the form of insights, clues and coincidences. It brings you together with just the right people at just the right time. It may create a chance moment where you bump into an old friend who is with a colleague they introduce you to, that may lead on to drinks after work, your friend may have to go early leaving you and the dashing colleague alone to get to know one another.

Make it work for you

Or you may have a really strong urge to join a specific dating site and someone jumps out at you as interesting, you get chatting and start to bond before you know it. Notice how this entire process depends on you listening to your intuition? On the site you felt very drawn to a profile. By following that impulse, you changed the entire course of your life. But what happens if you don’t listen, if you freeze up and let fear keep you from having this conversation? Nothing. The other person never hears from you, and you’ve missed a chance at true love, except you’re not aware of it.

The way of getting the things in life you want depends on your ability to pay attention to the signs the Universe is giving you. It’s not so much about thinking your way through life, as feeling your way through it. If something feels right, pay attention. This is something you’ll probably want to do, even if you can’t logically justify your actions. If something feels wrong, be careful.

The more you pay attention to how you feel about things, the more you practice listening to your intuition and noticing coincidences, the better you’ll get at this. After you notice a few times that following your intuition, even if it defied rational thinking a bit, led to the perfect outcome, you’ll become more confident in your ability to follow your hunches.

I’m not asking you to ignore your rational mind, but consider your feelings as equally valid in your decision making process. You might be amazed at where these unseen opportunities lead you! Of course not everyone hears their intuition very strongly and this is where Sundial Readers can assist you. If you’re unsure or your intuition isn’t’t clear then we can always help you and in turn you can make your desires a reality.

The Power of Colour

How does colour affect us?

 

Ever wondered why you feel calm and relaxed in a certain room, but restless and anxious in another? Why do you choose to wear certain clothing on a particular day? Why are you attracted to certain adverts or pictures and not to others? The answers to all of these questions relate to the colours involved and how these colours affect us on a mental, emotional, physical and spiritual level.

Everywhere you look there is colour. Colour touches our lives every day in so many ways: the colours we choose for our clothes, colours in a room, the colour of the foods we eat, colours used in advertising and so on.

Colours have an influence on our emotions, our actions, our health and how we respond to people, things and ideas. The effects of colour on our moods, health, and way of thinking have been studied by scientists for years. Your preference for one colour over another is related to the way that colour makes you feel.

Why does colour affect us?

Each colour has a certain energy (or vibration or frequency). When the energy of a colour enters our bodies, it stimulates the brain. This creates the production of certain hormones, which in turn affect a variety of physiological processes. This explains why colour has been found to have such a direct influence on our thoughts, moods, and behaviour. The vibration of each colour also affects our aura and the charkas (energy centres of the body).

How Can We Use Colour in our Lives?

There are many ways that you can use the effects of colour to benefit you in your daily life. Here are just a few examples:

  • Choose the colours of your clothing according to how you want to feel that day or what type of energy you want to project.
  • Work with crystals of an appropriate colour. Wear them or place them in a room to receive the benefits of their colour.
  • Plan out what colours you want to use in a room (paint, furniture, decorations, etc.) according to the effect you wish to produce (calming, energizing, inviting, etc.)
  • To enhance the property of a certain colour in your life, eat foods of that colour.

Basic Colours and Their Properties:

Red: Physical energy, passion, desire, action, confidence, courage, warming, stability, security.

Orange: Joy, happiness, courageous, successful, outgoing, cheerful, enthusiastic, creative.

Yellow: Wisdom, intellect, clear thinking, creative energy, happiness, optimism, expression, friendly.

Green: Growth, renewal, peace and harmony, healing, hope, optimism, freedom, balance, prosperity and abundance.

Blue: Intuition, inspiration, sincerity, peace, joy, patience, tranquillity, faith in oneself and trust in others.

Violet: Spirituality, spiritual connection and fulfilment, transformation, meditation, power, success.

White: Purity, innocence, truth, new beginnings, protection.

Gold: Illumination, understanding, compassion, self-esteem, courage, passion, wisdom, prosperity, abundance.

By using colour in our lives we can help to create more balance and along with affirmations and a positive mental attitude we can also help to bring about the changes in our lives that we have been seeking. These may be goals, bringing love to you, getting closer to a person you desire or getting ahead in the workplace.

Colours you promote by wearing or sharing can help those around you to make you stand out and create a sense of strong and positive energy, you can command respect or show off your skills to those that may not have noticed in the past.

Always listen to your intuition, if you are drawn towards a certain colour a lot of the time then make sure to blend with it, wear it, seek it and you will start to realise why you need it in your life.

Our readers are skilled when it comes to colours and in also being able to read your aura and guide you as to what may be affecting it and in turn help you gain true happiness in your life. Contact one soon so you can find out what colours are best for you!

The New Year! Is it time to drop Resolutions?

Though many of us have been focused on parties, festivities, and winter activities, there is another tradition looming just around the bend: New Year’s Resolutions. And rather than let this tradition sneak up on us, I am suggesting that we try to look at this tradition in another way.

I think it’s time to drop these traditional New Year Resolutions entirely in favour of something a bit more attainable: let’s call them New Year’s Ambitions.

The word resolution invokes the tried (and often failed) tradition of making solid goals that most often are forgotten about by February or March.

I know first-hand the effect that a very specific resolution can have on people. A few years ago I decided that I wanted to reach many of the usual goals, get fitter by losing weight, exercising more, quitting smoking and getting out more.

Well, I knew deep down that getting all those goals sorted in a specific time frame was unlikely at best, since there are so many factors that can affect you. Not only that but the moment you try and do all these things at once it becomes a chore, a burden and you can end up miserable and beating yourself up at the first sign of failure. This in turn leads to the often known practise of just abandoning the resolutions and pretending you never made them.

I’d glad to say that now I have lost weight, stopped smoking and am exercising more, not because I made resolutions but I looked at them in a different way, I didn’t associate them with 1 specific year. Before, when I cared so much about a specific goal in a specific time frame, I was too afraid to fail and then berate myself for not getting to the finish line in time.

Don’t let resolutions limit you

My story demonstrates how extremely specific goals may limit us from taking action in the right direction and making any progress at all. Sometimes “all or nothing” thinking paired with goal setting is just as bad as low motivation. Neither end of the goal-setting spectrum allows us to move forward and get closer to the lives we want.

So now I propose making ambitions instead, because unlike an unattained resolution, an ambition is an on-going effort. When you stray from an ambition one day—i.e. pigging out with the girls or postponing the job search because things are hectic at your current job—you can come back to it the next day and pick up where you left off with new commitment to your aim. It’s a more realistic approach, because, let’s face it, life throws things at us at times that will set us back.

You will stumble
When you set a resolution, you often put specifics into the goal. Stop watching TV, go to aerobics twice a week, lose a stone, get a better job by March, etc., all have specific guidelines that need to be met in order for the resolution to be fulfilled. This often is not realistic for those of us who are constantly moving and changing.

 

When an ambition is made, however, we can change those strict resolutions into more flexible, achievable versions of the same goals. For example, we can try to be more active and eat better rather than trying to lose a specified amount of weight by a specific date.

And when we find ourselves scoffing the chocolates Valentine’s Day, we won’t beat ourselves up or throw in the healthy ambition towel completely. We can just acknowledge that we didn’t fulfil our ambition to the fullest on that day and cut back the day or week after.

There will be changes

We may also find that at some point later in the year we may want to change our ambition. Or circumstantial changes in life may mean that what was a goal on January 1 is no longer realistic (this could be for financial, health, family reasons etc).

 

Rather than lose 2 stone we may find that losing 7 pounds leaves us feeling pretty good!

In this case we won’t have to qualify why we didn’t meet our resolutions. Instead, we simply fulfil the intention of being healthier and feeling better in a new way.

Small change is still change
Last but not least, the great thing about ambitions is that it allows you to see all progress as a good thing. If it takes you longer than you’d like to meet a resolution, it’s easy to get discouraged. But when you approach your life changes from an intentional point of view, you can see how far you’ve come from where you started and celebrate that as success.

 

This positive approach to intentions is often more effective (avoiding that burnout factor that resolutions have) and kinder. It allows you to celebrate the journey, not just the destination.

We all hope you have a wonderful New Year and any goals you may wish to achieve make you happy, whether you reach them in full, in part, or at all! Remember to be happy!