***My Healthy Habits Begin NOW

As Baby Boomers, many of us grew up in that splendid era of Beatles songs (Imagine all the people living life in love….All you need is love….With a little help from my friends….Strawberry fields forever….). Perhaps you have been reminiscing so much about the past (Yesterday….) that you have not been really living in the present.

* Have you been so busy lately that you keep putting off that diet you promised to start or that 20 minute walk you were going to take every morning?
* Have you been so caught up in handling problems, your own and other people’s, that you have forgotten to step back, take a breath and relax?
* Have you spent time and energy worrying about a health or financial challenge instead of taking steps to heal and overcome the problems?
* Have you been feeling lonely and grieving over loss, illness or separation from loved ones?

STOP

Isn’t it wonderful that every single year, at the end of December we can close the book on whatever has happened during that year. Then, in January we can open the book of our life to begin a new chapter. It really is that simple.

Last year is over. You may have made many mistakes, left many projects incomplete, and not fulfilled your promises to yourself or others. But last year is over. This is a new year and it is so easy to begin now.

Start this New Year with a clear intention.

* What do you really, really, really want that may have somehow eluded you until now?
* Make a short list (no more than 10 items) of your most important intentions for this new year.
* Look at each item on the list and take a moment to imagine it is the end of this new year and you have actually accomplished this intention.
* Allow your imagination to include lots of details – Who is with you, how you look, how you feel, and what accomplishing this intention has done for you.
* Imagine looking back over this new year and realizing what has assisted you to actualize and materialize each of your intentions.
* Smile and know that all of this is totally possible and within your reach.

At the end of every month in this New Year, take a few moments to repeat the steps above. Renew and refresh your stated overall intention. Review and revise your list. Take the time to visualize yourself already having achieved and attained your intentions. Smile and let it go.

Imagine living your life on purpose, creating intentions, imagining them already actualized and smiling at how good you feel. Now isn’t that better than worrying and suffering over what has troubled you in the past and what could possibly become a problem in the future. Intention, imagination, visualization and belief create the future.

Are you ready to begin YOUR healthy habits right now?