it is a beautiful, winter day, at last!! I have some work to do on a great project that landed on my lap.

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New Year, New You, New Groove!

I exhaled at the end of 2011.  I had made it.  I exhaled because I had made progress.  I had accomplishments that mattered to me. I was living my life according to me.   In the past, that exhalation on New Year's Eve, was one of defeated hopelessness, surprised that I had not succumbed to life pressures, wondering if it will ever end.  Fear and anxiety were constant, my life was definitely NOT FUN.

MY LIFE.  It was mine, and I had no control of it.  I was tired of feeling like a rag doll, at the whim of whatever happened during the day.  I wanted to choose how I  experienced my life.  If I could not always control what was happening outside of my body, I at least wanted control of what was happening inside, especially   my reactions to circumstances, and the people around me.  I wanted to be happy.... I wanted some of that "peace that passes understanding" I was hearing and reading about.  I wanted to look forward to each day with joyful anticipation.  So, since I had nothing to lose, I made a commitment to myself to have My Best Year Ever! 

•  I talked to a Life Coach, who helped with a "life perspective re-adjustment."

• She helped me view my life objectively, and showed me where I had choices and opportunities to reclaim control.  I looked at all aspects of my life and rated how I felt about each (some examples are below).

• Friendships and other relationships
• Finances
• Job/work
• Health
• Love and Romance
• House and physical surroundings

• At the start of each day - I focused on how I felt when I opened my eyes
• what was causing the feelings
• what/who I wanted to avoid - the impact of facing or avoiding
• what I was looking forward to

• I looked at the big picture and started to implement small changes.  I identified:  
• what I enjoyed doing and wanted more of
• what I hated/resented doing and wanted less of
• what I ultimately wanted my life to look like.  
• who made me feel great/aweful (how and why)

Just taking a look at my life, and knowing where everything stood, was an immense relief. "Acceptance brings peace"  -  that is the absolute truth.  It is from this perspective, I could see clearly where to make changes, I could understand where the "blockades" were, and where my easiest paths to change lay.

I am happy, even with the challenges that come and go each day.  I have a real life that consists of several aspects of my ultimate dream life.

This year, I wish everyone the gift of a "life perspective-adjustment." This gift will put you on the journey towards living the life you always imagined.

You can find some life assessment forms to help you evaluate you life at Serene Serendipity Life Evaluation Series