Over the past few “New Years” as I’ve looked back over my own collection of discarded new beginnings as well as the changes that have actually made a lasting positive impact on my life, I’ve discovered the SECRET that I’d like to share with you right now.

Here it is: Set aside New Year’s Resolutions in favor of a New Year’s Practice.

A practice is the actual application of an idea or ideal. It puts a theory into real life and takes it out of the dimension of “great ideas.”

An enthusiastic new year’s resolution without a practice is basically like saying “I’m really ready to bring this lasting change to my life but I’m not going to do anything to actually make it happen.” A resolution without a practice is basically worthless or even dangerous. It’s dangerous because unfulfilled resolutions over time just give us more and more evidence of what “losers” we are and how we can never seem to win.

I encourage you to take this new year as an opportunity to experience the power of practice.

A practice for at least 40 days creates a habit. And habits create lasting change. In fact, over time, habits forge who we are and who we will become. (The discipline of a regular practice is a great antidote to perfectionism.)

So this week I encourage you to:

  1. Consciously choose what practice you can put into place that will help bring the life you envision for yourself into “real time.”
  2. Put that practice (daily or weekly as appropriate) into place for at least 40 days
  3. After 40 days assess your life in terms of this practice.
  4. Share your practice and how it’s going with us in the comments section (or if you’re a member, on our Everyday Support Community Facebook page).

Here’s a bonus tip: choose one and only one practice to put into place for these first 40 days and be accountable for it. And keep us posted.

Happy New Year!

Lee, Britta and the Celebration of Being Team