Welcome to 2019

Hard as it may be to believe, another year has gotten behind us and taken its place in history. This is the time of year when we all become like the Roman God Janus, looking forward and backward at the same time. Considering our accomplishments, seeing where we fell short and making our heartfelt resolutions for where and how we will do better in the year to come.

I once heard Tony Robbins speak about New Year's resolutions. It is pretty clear that he is not a fan. The calendar, he said, makes every new year seem like a new start, but its not. We are exactly the same person on January 1st as we were on December 31st. Nothing much changes, because we do not change much.

Here is what he suggests you do if you really want to change something in your life, whether on New Year's Day or any other day of the year that you are ready to get serious about it.

1. Choose an area of your life (just one) where you truly want to make a change. Be honest with yourself. You have to really want to change in this area, not simply think that you should. Describe (writing it down is best) exactly what that area of your life is like for you now. No one else is going to see this, so be 100% honest.

2. Write a list of the habits, routines and rituals that you have that are shaping the current conditions in this area for you. Give this part some thought, it is important.

3. Write down exactly what it is that you want to be different. Be very specific. This should be an emotionally engaging vision of what you want this area of your life to be like. How it WILL be for you. Why do you want it? How will your life be different when you have it?

4. Now write down the new habits, routines and rituals that, if you incorporate them into you life, cannot help but create the changes and bring about the results that you want. What, exactly, do you need to do differently EVERY day in order to have what you want?

5. Begin incorporating these new habits into your day. This is where the work is. It will not be easy. That is an understatement. Your old routines and rituals will not give up easily and they have great power over you. Start small, with a few new rituals, and stay with them no matter what. Your momentum will build with each success and you can add more later.

The only resolution that you need for the new year is to act with integrity. To keep your word. Every time. Without exception. You CAN change your life. Or just those parts of it that you want to change. Your health, your career, your relationships, your happiness, your outlook. But to do so you simply MUST be able to depend on yourself. Your word must be your non-negotiable principle.

For me, I am committing to being a person of my word for 2019. That is it. Just that. I may not say that I will do something and that's fine. But if I do say that I will complete some task, be at some event, show up somewhere at a certain time, then I am going to do that. No more excuses for me. If I say it, I mean it.

I will keep you posted on how it goes.