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Over 4000 years ago, the Babylonians began the tradition of celebrating the beginning of a new year, resolving to return something to its owner that was borrowed during the previous year. The Romans began their celebration in the first month by exchanging gifts and asking forgiveness from their enemies. January is named after the mythical Janus, which symbolizes beginnings and endings. The Chinese have a long standing tradition of cleaning house at the beginning of the New Year.

In each case, something is “removed” and space is made for the new. The tradition of making resolutions for the New Year goes back thousands of years. Although many of us still carry on the tradition today, the tradition has changed meaning over these thousands of years.

Today, resolutions for the New Year are more often a list of things we think we should do or cease doing. The emphasis is on the doing and not on letting go and moving forward. Resolution is “the state or quality of being firm or determined; pursuing a fixed purpose”. Guess why many of us that proclaim New Year’s resolutions fail? We are not determined, focused or resolute. Our “resolutions” are made from the “I should” or “I have to” state of mind. These states of mind are disempowering. They rob us of our desire to achieve a different result.

You can clear space in your life for new experiences, habits, and results by “cleaning out” old beliefs, fears and habits. It takes a strong desire, a clear sense of the benefits, a plan with strategies and a way to measure results.

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day” Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Start planning right now what you want to add to your life in terms of what brings you joy. Think about one change that, if you made it, would have a great and lasting affect on the results you could celebrate in 2009.

© 2005-2008 Cultivating Change, LLC & Renée Canali, Life/Mindset Coach. Featured author in 101 Great Ways to Improve Your Life Vol. 2.Visit www.landofpossibility.com to subscribe to this complimentary monthly newsletter. All rights reserved. This newsletter may only be reproduced with copyright statement and credits in tact.

In order to get where you want to go, you need to know where you are headed. If you are always trying to get rid of things, such as bad habits, your focus is on “losing” things. You are facing backwards and looking at what the past has created for you.

What if you turn your focus around to what you have right now that you wish to increase/improve? If you woke up this morning, you have life. That’s a good start towards creating healthier eating habits, working exercise into your day, lessening the amount of time you smoke or think about smoking. If you are seeking employment or a more satisfying place to work, focus on where those opportunities lie. To create deeper relationships, focus on what you would add to the relationships you already have.

Get a journal or pad of paper to collect your thoughts. Begin with asking yourself the question “What do I truly want for 2009?” Allow your thoughts to flow and just write them down.

Next, out of what you wrote, choose the 5 things that feel most important. Read them out loud for yourself. Do they still ring true for you?

Now you can rewrite these 5 things in a way that describes adding them to your life. If you wrote, “I want a raise”, you could rephrase that as follows: “I will be paid 10% more for my job”. What’s the difference? The second statement requires an increase in income and is more open to sources for that income. You might change jobs, companies or careers. A raise implies everything remains the same except for your pay. Do this for each of your top 5 wants.

Your statements should sound right to you when you read them and feel good when you think about them. Be careful not to determine how something will occur. When you concentrate on “how”, you are actually restricting your ability to have it. Just focus on adding it to you life.

Keep your eyes open for the announcement for The Visioning TeleWorkshop scheduled in early February 2009 where you can collaborate with others as you work towards your goals.

For things to be different you have to cultivate change. Take action ! Contact Renée at