Hi Everyone,

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2018 and welcome to 365 new chances to live life with more fulfilment, vibrancy and in line with your soul purpose.

Think back on your new year’s resolutions made on 1 January, 2017. Were they fulfilled? Did any of your hopes, dreams or intentions materialise? What happened for you in 2017 – the Universal 1 Year? The year that began a new 9 year cycle for the planet (numerologically speaking).

For some of you, perhaps dreams were realised: you bought that dream home; met that special someone; started down a rewarding career path; improved your health and fitness. For others, 2017,as a beginning year, may have been just that a beginning- nothing big materialised as yet, but the seeds were sown for an abundant harvest that may well be reaped in 2018, 2019 or maybe 2020.

You see, what I’ve discovered, in my decades of personal growth work, is that we humans grow or we perish, that’s for certain; but what is not certain is timing – it’s hard to know when your reward will come, how many dark nights of the soul you have to endure before you see the light of day and it’s hard to know when your number is up. This is why it’s so important for each of us to live in the present moment and cherish our daily experiences.

Maybe today will be another ho-hum day of get up, get dressed, go to work or maybe today will be the day where that magic moment you’ve been waiting for arrives. No one knows. No one knows for sure how much of the future is pre-destined and how much is being co-created, moment by moment. No one knows, even if something is pre-destined, exactly when it will occur, though some may be quite accurate in their predictions, no one knows for sure.

This makes life exciting and organic. This gives us the opportunity to start afresh each day and reinvent that aspect of self that requires reinvention. This gives us the chance now to take stock of what happened for us in 2017, what wins we had, what lessons we learnt and to say thank you to the Universe for the wisdom and the growth that we’ll be taking with us into 2018.

Take time now to reflect on what you deeply desire that has not yet come to fruition and ask yourself, is this something you still deeply want? If the answer is YES, then we will carry this forward into your 2018 New Year’s resolutions.

Here is a fresh beginning for you. A new opportunity to set intentions; to dream big, to resolve, to decide and to take action towards an even more fulfilling life. This is not one year blurring into another, this is a fresh new year with its own vibration, with its own promises, with its own possibilities. This is a new year coming that God has given you to create with. Take the lessons from past years, forgive the pains of past years, release the disappointments of past years and open up to the field of infinite possibilities; allow God’s grace to move through you in 2018 and welcome miracles, welcome fruition, welcome magical possibilities, welcome abundance.

Sure, you may have hoped for something in 2017 that didn’t come to pass, but don’t carry that energy into the New Year with you. The Universe is in charge of timing and the Universe knows what your deepest desires are and what serves your greater good and the greater good of others. Rather than losing faith in the Universe and refusing to believe that you can have what you truly want, instead ask yourself these 4 PREP QUESTIONS:

1. Was what I wanted truly for my greatest good and therefore in line with my soul purpose?

2. Was what I wanted driven by a pure and wholesome intention?

3. Had I earned what I was asking for?

4. Would receiving it cause harm to another?

For example: If you deeply wanted to be in a fit and healthy body and you didn’t get there in 2017 – ask yourself question 3. Had I earned what I was asking for? In other words, did I do all that was necessary for my body, in terms of nutrition, exercise and self care or was I cutting corners, overeating under-exercising, not getting enough sleep and still wanting the outcome? A new year’s resolution is not just a whimsical superstition. It’s an opportunity to set intentions and ride the wave of new energy to commit to taking fresh action towards your goals. Don’t minimise it. Don’t waste it. Learn from 2017 and prepare to revisit your intentions for your life and for your happiness in 2018 with renewed vigour and determination.

Another example: If you deeply wanted a fancy house or a Rolex watch or a promotion at work or more money – ask yourself – question 2 – was what I wanted driven by a pure and wholesome intention? If you just wanted those things to compete with your friends or siblings or to show off or as status symbols, then your intention was not wholesome and therefore not supported by the Universe. However, if you wanted any or all of those things because you had always truly loved and appreciated a house like that; or a watch like that; or believed that you could be of greater service if you achieved career advancement because so many people could benefit from your leadership; then your intention is wholesome and the Universe will support it, if you have taken the action to earn it.

One more example: Let’s say you met someone who you loved deeply but he was already in an unhappy relationship, that he had not managed to end. Let’s say you prayed and hoped and dreamed he would be yours in 2017 and nothing materialised. You might find him to be your true soul mate and the love between you, beyond anything either of you have ever known. However, you might find that if he is still duty-bound or committed to another person then you come unstuck because until he is free to be with you then none of your 4 Prep questions can truly be answered in the affirmative.

For a union to be whole and wholesome, both people must be available in every sense of the word. Physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually. If this level of availability is not present then the union is compromised. Harm may be done to a child or their existing partner, if separation is not done consciously, if harm is done to them then it will be done to you, also – as one cannot build their happiness on another person’s misery. I wish life was simpler than this, but sometimes, people are in relationships that are unhappy but they don’t know how to leave without causing damage. If being with this person is your dream come true, then you must pray for the Universe to create the circumstances that serve the greater good of all, and allow the Universe to decide how that looks.

Heartbreak, longing, despair and disappointment are often a result of not understanding that there is a divine plan that is bigger than your individual vision for yourself. This does not mean that there is not point in dreaming and setting goals and resolutions. This only means that if they are not fulfilled when you asked for them, then there might be a flaw in your thinking or in your timing.

So, as you prepare to step into 2018, in order to manifest your heart’s desires, it is vital that you release any preconceived notions of entitlement or scepticism. Neither fantasy or negativity will serve you. What will serve you is ensuring that your intentions are pure and aligned with your soul purpose and the greater good and that you have done the work to earn what you deeply desire. Like I said, ask yourself those 4 questions and keep yourself pure of heart, mind and action to enable yourself to get the support of the Universe.

Once these conditions are met and you have forgiven yourself for your shortcomings and forgiven others for theirs you can wipe the slate clean and get ready for a new start in 2018 at a higher vibration and with a pure intention.

Let’s get ready now to prepare our New Year’s Resolutions for 2018.

I suggest you buy a journal with coloured paper, a different colour for each different resolution that you plan to set in 2018. Title that journal – “2018 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS”.

Your journal should have at least, 5 pages per colour. For example, 5 yellow pages, 5 green, 5 blue, 5 orange, 5 red, 5 purple. Each coloured section will be used for one resolution.

The Process for each resolution has 5 steps:

1.VERBALISE

2.VISUALISE

3. RELEASE

4.MANIFEST

5. THANK

Let’s discuss how it works. Chose one resolution and put it into words. For example:

1. ON PAGE 1:VERBALISE: Write – I resolve to decrease my body fat mass and increase my body muscle mass in 2018. That’s the resolution. Then go into detail verbalising this resolution. I will undertake a body composition analysis and I will check my current BMI. If it is still at 25.8, which is what it was 3 months ago, I will reduce it to 21.8. I will increase my lean muscle mass in my legs, my trunk and and my glutes by 10 %. I will do this by increasing my Pilates workouts and gym workouts targeting those areas with strength work. These are the days I will do Pilates- Tuesday and Thursday. These are the days I will do a gym workout – Wednesday and Saturday. These are the gym workouts I will do…

2. ON PAGE 2: VISUALISE: Once you have verbalised, in other words written this on page 1 in detail, move to page 2 and cut out pictures from magazines so you can visualise what workouts you will do and how you want to look. You may use a few pages for this. Make it visually pleasing and satisfying then each morning visualise yourself doing those workouts and your body improving. Prime yourself for success on a daily basis through visualisation.

3. ON PAGE 3: RELEASE: If you have any limiting beliefs, fears, negative stories or experiences, write them out and release them. Don’t allow them to block you from moving forward. Let them go. Remove every excuse: Name it, Claim it, Let it Go.

4. ON PAGE 4: MANIFEST: This is where you document the action and your achievements as you go along. Note and celebrate little milestones. Every step in the right direction is worthy of acknowledgment. Many people negate their forward motion unless it is sizeable. This is unkind and unproductive. Notice your incremental improvements and acknowledge them, eventually they will lead you to the day when the magic happens.

5. ON PAGE 5: THANK: You may have quite a few resolutions- one for each colour in the journal. Some may manifest and some may not in 2018. When one of your resolutions does manifest, take that set of pages and write THANK YOU UNIVERSE and the date you achieved your dream come true. It is important to give thanks for what is given us, for as we demonstrate appreciation we invoke the law of abundance and we invite in more success.

Operating in this way, allows you to learn how to have a positive and hopeful mindset as you take action towards making your goals and dreams come true. You have agency in how your life looks. You are not a leaf blowing on the wind. You are an oak tree and your growth is solid and supported by the Universe. Within that oak tree was planted the intention for growth, beauty, strength, usefulness and abundance. The same applies to you.
Make 2018 a year where you align your personal intentions with those which the Universe intended for you -that is, to be whole and fulfilled, strong, beautiful, useful and connected to the abundance of the Universe.

I hope you like the sound of that. Just remember before you set your New Year’s Resolutions ask your 4 PRE- RESOLUTION QUESTIONS:

1. Is what I want truly for my greatest good and in line with my soul purpose?

2. Is what I want driven by a pure and wholesome intention?

3. Have I earned or am I willing to earn, what I am asking for?

4. Would receiving it cause harm to another?

Once you have established soul purpose and wholesome intentions then set your NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS:

VERBALISE, VISUALISE, RELEASE, MANIFEST, THANK.

Good luck I hope you dreams come true.

To Listen to my podcast on Setting your New Year’s Resolutions, please click the radio show icon.