“I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s.”  ~Henry Moore

Each year people make and break their new year resolutions – perhaps because they focus too strongly on negatives. Give your New Year resolutions a positive splash with positive resolutions to focus on today, in the new year and everyday of your life.

It’s easy to look at the negatives. Many people are approaching the New Year with lesser money, an inflated body and a soul battered by stress and family disagreements. In your mind, the coming year looks like a year of uncertainty for all and trouble for many, especially you. But it doesn’t have to be that way. How can you make your New Year resolutions stepping stones to a positively brighter and happier year ahead?

To start off, you can resolve to approach them positively. Negativity hurts. It drains your ability to get things done and makes you doubt everything, even yourself. When you repeatedly tell yourself or others that there’s no point in trying, that the world is out to get you and others are against you, you create the conditions for hostile, damaging relationships and unproductive days ahead.

Negativity also makes others avoid you. Friendship, opportunity and success literally takes a back seat from those who are overly negative.

So avoiding negativity should be your number one resolution for LIFE. But how do you do it?

Ten Positive Resolutions

First, approach every situation looking for a way forward. Nobody has to abandon realism and go around wearing rose-coloured glasses. Positive thinking doesn’t deny what is wrong or unhelpful, but instead looks for ways to transform the situation. So resolve that you will always look for a way forward, however difficult the situation.

For instance, if you are worried about being laid off at work, or about having to lay off a staff member, you should look at what skills you/they have that will be useful to new employers. How can those skills best be presented? Is there an opportunity for coaching or mentoring, to help with job searches and interviews? Offer yourself and others ways to move on from difficult situations, and you’ll see positive results.

1) Resolve to Be Honest and Respectful

Resolve to be honest, because dishonesty is always negative – but be honest in a positive way. Say what you truly mean, but keep it based on fact. Avoid personal comment and gossip. Speak well of others whenever possible, and speak well of yourself too.

Respect others enough to assume that they mean well unless there is evidence to the contrary. For example, if someone makes a negative or dismissive remark about your work, don’t take it personally and fire off a negative snappy response. Instead, think about the remark for a moment, and see if there is anything you can learn from it. Let the other person know that you appreciate their being so open with you, but say calmly that you found their approach very confrontational. (Some people are genuinely unaware that they come across as aggressive.)

Being positive doesn’t mean you are a doormat – it means you are a strong person who can assess the meaning of someone’s words without being distracted by their mode of expression.

2) Resolve to Be a positive role model

Resolve to make yourself a positive role model for others. Be the person who always looks for the good in others, points out their skills and acknowledges their contributions. Speaks to them as you would like to be spoken to, and don’t allow the negativity of others to draw you into a destructive game of tit-for-tat.

3) Resolve to Avoid Assumptions

Treat situations the same way you intend to treat people. Whether it’s a family argument or a situation at work, don’t just steam in making snap judgments and assigning responsibility. Take a moment to assess the situation, ask questions and find out what’s really happening. Make sure you understand before you act. Think with love and negative assumptions will never crop up.

4) Resolve to Be Forgiving

We’re all going to make mistakes. It’s the way we learn. Think of how mothers deal with babies – small children need to be encouraged to try things again and again, testing out different methods, being gently encouraged until they master the skills of standing, walking, sorting shapes and so on. Adults are no different. Even if things are clearly explained and support is provided, there will be mistakes. Forgive mistakes – including your own. Make sure you and everyone involved understands why they happened, and don’t use them as sticks to beat others. That way you’ll support everyone’s creativity and build love and trust in your relationships with those around you.

5) Resolve to Be Trusting

9) Resolve to Be Productive positively

It is very easy to get off track when a crises or problem arises that we feel must be addressed. By making a mission statement for yourself you will be more apt to stay the course during any trial. For example producing work which is edifying to yourself and others only. Money is important, but we have all learned the hard way during the “pay later heyday” that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush and that quality and sustainability are more important than quantity and risk. Passion will raise your productivity positively.

Using the Ten Resolutions Everyday

You can apply these resolutions – to any situation in your life everyday!

Maybe you resolved to lose weight last year and were unsuccessful. This year, look at the positive, not the negative. Instead of focusing on ‘losing’, look at your diet and lifestyle and decide on a couple of changes that will make you healthier and help you have more energy. You might resolve to replace sweetened drinks with water and walk or cycle to work at least two days a week. Respect yourself and be honest – don’t kid yourself that you can change your body without changing your lifestyle a little. Don’t assume that you will fail – find out about different ways of approaching the issue and work out why you didn’t succeed and what might help you this time. Forgive yourself for not being a size six, or whatever, and understand what would be a realistic goal in terms of your own health and lifestyle.

There are many wonderful lifestyle and attitude guides, but none of them can help you unless you resolve to approach your life positively. Every person has untapped ability and potential that can be released with the support of positive thinking.

This year, resolve to banish negativity and help yourself to a truly Happy New year and New Life.

For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice.
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
~T.S. Eliot, “Little Gidding”

What are your thoughts on this topic? Have you made any positive resolutions for the new year and a new life? Share your thoughts and your resolutions in the comments below.

Note: This is an article I wrote 2 years back…but is still amazingly relevant to ring in the new year.

With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
Counseling Psychologist/ Spiritual Counselor
Motivational Speaker/Naturopath
Holistic Healer/Writer

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