Happy New Year!

At the beginning of a New Year many people do their best to start it off with setting goals and new year resolutions in order to start the NEW YEAR off right.

In doing so, depending on the person, sometimes, we can be setting ourselves up for failure with some intense goals that are unreasonable and then, we can feel badly about ourselves, when we fail miserably.

So, let’s look at the possibility of being gentle with ourselves. Perhaps, ”being gentle” is allowing ourselves to recover from all the Holiday “stuff”, and do some emotional healing from the past year and ease our way into the New Year with a lighter heart!

Here are some suggestions:

1. Reflect on the past year and acknowledge all that you went through. Process the pain and the joy and give yourself credit for all that you went through and honor yourself for your growth.

2. IF you like to write these things down, you may want to take that step, in order to help you process through it. Then create a special ceremony with an “attitude of gratitude” by thanking yourself and others for your growth and burn these pages in a grill or fireplace to release the past year.

3. After doing this, give yourself a GIFT or Reward that you enjoy for loving yourself enough to honor your growth. (Something like a massage, a jacuzzi or a bath…something healing and healthy that releases tension)

4. Then…when you are ready…you can get going on your intentions for the New Year. Step by Step…you do not have to do the all in 1 day!

5. Lastly, make sure your intentions are reasonable. For example, IF you feel you need to drop some extra pounds, create an intention like: “I will love my body and myself by creating healthy behaviors daily, that will enhance my body by decreasing the amount of sugar I eat daily, by choosing healthier foods daily, and by exercising gradually and building up my workouts to 3-5 times per week by _______date” ( a reasonable one!). All these things do not have to happen all at once in the first week of January! Allow for baby steps! Remember the saying, “it is hard by the yard, but a cinch by the inch!”  

In an effort of creating Self-Care and Healing with Light-Heartedness, I would like to share a gift with you that came into my e-mail this morning from Kari Joys. It is a beautiful message and emotionally healing short movie of a GIFT TO SHIFT into Light-Heartedness. She has created daily messages that you can sign up to receive in order to help you be light-hearted each day! ( I signed up!) It is a great way to begin the New Year! It is a GIFT for your soul. Check out www.light-heartedness.com. Enjoy and thank you Kari! What a blessing you are to the world!

May 2007 be a year that fills up your soul with all that you desire, all that you deserve and with allowing yourself the GIFT of Self-Care and Healing with Light-Heartedness!

Abundant Blessings…With a Light Heart,

Christina Carpentier

Master ShIFt Coach