It seems lately, resolutions are getting a bad rap.  “We never keep them anyway.”  “They conjure up will-power which only gets us to mid-January at best.”  “They are stifling and stiff.”

Here’s my take.  Resolve is non-negotiable.  Decision is critical.  And only when you’ve got those two in place, can you bring in a plan for out-of-this-world success.

It’s a 3-part strategy for successful living, regardless of who you are or how you live your life.  Show me anyone who busted through barriers and made quantum leaps in their life and this thread is clearly visible. 

These three critical elements are always present (whether you know it or not) when any real, meaningful change happens in your life.  And if you are interested in radical changes – even of the subtle kind, it makes a whole lot of sense to consider them well.

OK, so let’s dig in.

Part 1: Resolve

Why do you need to resolve rather than to choose a resolution?

I’m going to get a little “latin-nerdy” here.  The original root of the word resolution comes from resolve which means the process of breaking things into simpler forms (or unbinding again and again until you are left at the most core issue at hand).

The modern day definition of a resolution indicates a commitment to something that you hold firm to.  Totally essential in my book, but first it is wise togo through the process of understanding what is at the core (the simplest form) of what you truly want.  Getting crystal clear is priority.

Once you are clear on what you truly want, the next step is to decide.

Part 2: Decide

“Even more than we are doers, we are deciders.  Once the decision is clear, the doing becomes effortless.” ~the Book of Runes

The root of the word decide is to “cut off”.  Saying no and cutting things off isn’t the most popular advice lately, I know.  But the truth is, our ability to choose our “no” as carefully as our “yes” and cut off all that does not align with our decision (in our thoughts and actions) is directly related to how successful we will be.  

Seth Godin recently wrote on his blog, “You don’t need a new plan for next year. You need a commitment.”  What I say is you first need the commitment to a clearly resolved goal or desire.  Then you need a plan.

Part 3: Plan

I’m not against intentions and affirmations.  I’m not against vision boards nor am I against big dreaming (in fact, I love them all!)  

What I am against is replacing a clear strategy and plan for achieving success with those supports.  Without a clear sense of what you need in order to step into the life that you want to be living, and a framework for getting there, you are setting yourself up for failure. 

And I’m all about setting you up for success.

Anytime you set out to create anything– from a bookcase to a new way of living- you need tools.  I think of a plan as a way to equip yourself with what you need in order to succeed. 

To start without a map isn’t enlightened, it’s unprepared.  And equally problematic is trying to draw up a map without a clear understanding of where you are, where you want to go and the terrain between the two.

So the next time you feel inspired to make a change in your life– follow this three step process.  

1.  Resolve your issues down to the clearest and simplest goals you can.

2.  Decide on your goal and commit to it.

3.  Create a plan that equips you to meet your goals by giving you a framework, tools and strategies that reflect who you are, the life you live and where you want to go.

Could you use some support in this process?  Click here to gain instant access to a 3 part video I’ve created on exactly this topic.  (No cost, huge value.)

And then, if  you resolve to make 2012 a year where you truly begin to take excellent care of yourself- of all the parts of yourself- from how you feed your body to how you nourish your spirit…  Designed for Wellness  can be the plan that equips you to truly succeed at living life with the energy, vitality and well being you deeply want (and you deeply need in order to show up as your brightest self for all those you love and care for.)

As always – if this has been useful, please comment and let me know your thoughts – and SHARE it with others in your community who may also find it valuable! 

Many thanks and much love,

Lisa

I was recently giving an interview for a colleague’s upcoming course.  During it we began to talk about the importance of rituals or routine in our life.

Our modern culture no longer has inherent protective factors that support a woman’s health and well being.  Most mothers find themselves feeling quite isolated in living out the many roles they hold. 

Even for an intact nuclear family, raising children, running a household, earning income and living a life of self growth and full potential is more than any traditional culture expected two people (much less one woman) to shoulder on their (her) own.

The central premise of my book is around these fundamental protective factors…and that we can establish them our lives through simple, personal and effective habits intentionally woven into our day to day lives.   These practices give us an inner anchor that protects our well being and keep us from spinning too far off center when life gets more trying or intense. 

You’ll be hearing more about these habits of vibrant living as the year unfolds   But today I wanted to share with you four practices I’ve come to do when I need to shift gears and get into “work” mode. 

I’ve been conducting a lot of interviews these past couple months.  (All for a project that I can hardly sit still about and will be unveiling in a few weeks!) and I noticed that I consistently took 2-3 minutes before each interview to engage in a few ritual that instantly brought me out of multi-tasking “mom” mode, into a place of focus, clarity and calm. 

It’s now become a routine that begins my work hours and I’ve seen a direct difference in the quality of what I can accomplish when I begin by shifting gears properly.

Perhaps there are times in your day or week when you could use simple techniques that help you calm frazzled thinking, collect scattered thoughts and usher in focus and clarity so you can give your full attention to the task at hand?

I’ve shared these four personal practices below.  (or if you are reading this via email,Click over to check them out)

1. Cedarwood

I love essential oils.  I use them throughout my day.  And, in particular, I have a few I reserve for when I need to shift into mental focus,  high level attention and creative thinking.  These are cedarwood, sandlewood, and frankincense. 

Incidentally, they are all essential oils with high levels of sesquiterpenes, which are a class of molecules that are heavily oxygenated.  When you breath them in these tiny molecules actually make their way through your olfactory nerve into your brain and deliver a shot of oxygen straight to your noodle. 

Pretty powerful and pleasant stuff  

2. Candle

Lighting a candle creates a shift in focus.  I tend to think of it in terms of adding natural elements into your space- it creates boundaries from the “outer” world and helps you see more clearly what is right in front of you. 

Same with running water.  Or even stepping outside for a moment to breath in fresh air.  In my office, I’ll often open the window when I’m getting “stuck” or take a quick 3 minute walk around my cul-de-sac if I need quick clearing. 

And to begin my work, I almost always light a candle now.  Visually and aromatically it triggers me to pay attention to the task at hand and helps being a calming atmosphere to my office.

3. Crown Pull

Ever since I’ve been introduced to energy medicine I’ve been completely hooked.  I share a number of my favorite exercises in my course on hormonal vitality, but today I want to share the Crown Pull.  

If you ever have the experience that your brain is just on overload- or managing too many scattered thoughts and need to clear your mind- this is incredibly effective.  Click here to watch a short video from Donna Eden, who I learn my energy techniques from.  (Note- skip ahead to the 1 minute 25 second point, when the demonstration begins if you are short on time!)

4. Rapid Deep Breathing

This 1-minute breathing exercise is one of the easiest and best I know of to quickly quiet a “chatty” mind.  I learned this when Dr. Douillard taught at my alma mater. 

In a nut shell it is 30 seconds of rapid, deep nose breathing followed by 30 seconds of calm, rhythmic breathing.  Amazing results. 

Click here to watch Dr. Douillard demonstrate this himself. (Note instructions begin at 1 min 20 sec into the video and you can watch him demonstrate it at 3 minutes into the video). 

Which of these four rituals do you think you’d most likely try the next time you needed a little focused attention?

Speaking of Good Things…

*** Designed for Wellness is now enrolling for the January 16 group run of this 12 week transformative experience that leads you step by step through a series of small but powerful shifts in how you eat, how you relate to yourself and how you nourish your life that will make you a more energized, more vibrant and more self-connected woman and mother. 

For less than a week, the 2 for 1 bonus is happening. Which means anyone who enrolls by January 2, 2012 will be given a “gift” enrollment that they can extend to a friend, family member, neighbor– anyone they’d like.  Pretty incredible gift to ring in the New Year with!

*** 31 Days to an Awesome Start of 2012 is happening over on the WellGrounded Life facebook page.   One simple challenge every day will be posted that will radically shift the course of your year.  Hop over and click “Like” to get connected and join the journey with us!

We hear it all the time.  Blasted from commercials and plastered on magazine covers.

The promise of easy results.  A simple “tweak” to my diet that effortlessly brought in major weight loss.   A little heard of vitamin that immediately corrected my raging moods.  A secret superfood that cleared out my cellulite.

The promise of the easy tweak…is really the myth of the easy tweak.

Here’s why.

Tweaks only produce real change when our foundation is strong and well established.  A can of paint really can do wonders for a room- but that assumes the walls aren’t falling down.

I think it is in our very nature to want major change without majorly changing.  I get it.  And I also know that to try majorly changing a life that already feels tapped to the brim seems overwhelming.

Small shifts and baby steps don’t have to fall into the category of “easy tweaks” if they are directed at our foundations first.

I think of our foundations in 4 critical areas.  Four minimum requirements for solid well being.

1.  How you eat.

2.  How you handle stress.

3.  How you sleep.

4.  How you move.

When these four categories are fundamentally cared for- tweaks to the system really do produce huge results.

This isn’t about perfection.  Our sleep doesn’t have to be perfect before we can experience a true and deep sense of vitality and well being….but a chronically sleep deprived momma simply can’t function anywhere close to how she is meant to.

Same goes with how we feed ourselves.  We don’t need to be a poster child for the cleanest diet out there- but incrementally shifting our diet to one that gives our body the raw materials it needs to experience the mental, emotional, and physical health is essential.

As we enter the next few weeks enjoying Christmas-time (for some) and warm Holiday time (for others) there is often the undercurrent of anticipation of a new year.  New starts, new goals, new visions for where we want to be this time next year.

In light of this, I’ve put together a free 3-part video series that will walk you through the process of nailing down specific actionable goals that reflect where you most need attention and focus in the new year.

I’ll be releasing them throughout this week.  They are my gift to you as I get ready to open the doors on the only group run of Designed for Wellness in 2012.  These videos are short, targeted and give high value with actionable results.

So sign up here and then please share this on your Facebook page, on Twitter, or via email with all the women and moms you know who could also benefit!

I’ve come to replace the word exercise with movement.  The word “exercise” can often conjure up a very visceral feeling- and for some of us, that feeling is akin to dread.

But even if we have a happier relationship with “movement”,  getting consistent activity in during the winter months can prove a bit difficult.

It’s a bit of a Catch 22, though, since exercise is incredibly effective at alleviating many of the winter woes.  Like our tendency to have depressed moods… to feel higher stress….and to eat richer/denser foods.

So I collected 5 of my top recommendations for how to keep movement consistent in your life even through the colder, winter months.

{Reading this via email?  Click here to see the list}

1. Invest in the right gear.

I know this won’t apply to everywhere in the world.  But most places that have cold winters don’t have bitter, miserable, inhabitable days all winter long.   Most of us, if we are prepared with the proper clothes, can still get outside and enjoy a brisk walk or light run most days of the winter season.

And getting outside should really be a top priority.  It shifts your whole energy when you can connect outdoors at least once a day…even if the day is grey and cold!  The fresh air, open-space perspective, sunlight, exposure to nature…it’s healing for the body and soul.

So one of the best strategies is simply to invest in one full cold weather workout outfit.  Find warm yoga pants, a wicking thermal top, ear muffs or comfy hat, mittens or gloves, warm wool socks and sturdy running shoes or comfy hiking boots.  You don’t need a closet full of options, just one set as your winter workout clothes that fit, feel good and are ready to be put to use.

2. DVDs

For those days when the cold really is killing the motivation, having a fantastic DVD on hand can be a workout saver!

I still will pop in my mid-80s Cindy Crawford workout DVD and love every shredded jean short minute of it. (yes she works out in ripped jean shorts!).  I also can not wait for this DVD to come out soon- I’m gonna snatch it up for my stocking.

3. Rebounder

Ahhh.  My favorite indoor workout option.  Bounce, bounce, bounce.  Smile, giggle, lighten up and feel like you are totally cheating on this amazing good-for-you way of getting exercise in!

4. Take a Class

Many places- yoga studios, gyms and dance studios- have pay-as-you-go options for group classes.  I love taking dance classes (my favorite during college was African dancing to live drum circles!), Nia or Zumba classes- especially when the weather is getting me down.

If I plan to meet a friend there, I’m also more likely to push through procrastination and actually go!

5.  Hot Yoga

Another winter favorite is to find a hot yoga class. There is something decadent about coming in from the cold and walking into a very warm room that melts and sweats and stretches your whole body.  If you haven’t tried it, do it and give yourself a winter treat.

What the hardest part about getting consistent exercise in during the winter months for you?

Knowing your goals is important, but did you know there is actually something even MORE important to consider when you set out to reach any goal you set in your life? And this spans the board from health goals to relationship goals to career goals.

Here’s a hint: The method you choose to get to your goal is the way you have to sustain it.  Want to hear how this applies specifically to you?

Watch the video below (and if you are getting this from email, click through to see the video, here.)