"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment."
—Henry David Thoreau
Week 3: Determination
On Day 18, you may be feeling a little sluggish, maybe a little confronted by beliefs that don't seem changeable. It is not a hopeless situation, because you really can change.
Until now you may have been looking at the weeds in your life and clearing them out from the tops, the area that is most visible. Instead, in order to remove your habits at their roots, you must now confront what you really and truly believe.
Do you believe that you are really alone with no support in the world? Do you really believe that you do not deserve a better life? Do you really believe that you are not lovable? These are not easy things to admit, but it is crucial to face them and accept them. Only if you are real with yourself, can you make lasting change in your life.
But today is a new day and a new opportunity to change. Looking clearly at your habits is not a cause for losing hope. Instead, recognize that you can change your responses, change your thoughts and actions—even just a little bit.
Do not underestimate the power in these small changes. When familiar patterns call, you can change what they mean. You do not have to keep living the same life. Your choice to change even a small thing affects your whole energy field. The moment when you decide to change ripples out into the bigger picture of your life.
So, do not feel discouraged by the reflections of what hasn't changed. Recognize it as a new opportunity to choose and change. Your life is a work of art and you are the artist, in every moment you are creating your masterpiece.
Remember that at any moment you can change your thoughts and actions. Just choose!
Meditation
Engage your ability to create the life you want by meditating on your power to choose.
Everything you experience can be observed from many perspectives. How you master your experience depends on how you choose to feel. The choice is only available if you give yourself pause before reacting, pause before speaking, and pause between thoughts.
Sit
First, sit comfortably. Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
Shake
Remove any tension in your upper body by shaking your shoulders up and down at least 10 times. Then vigorously shake your head from side to side at least 10 times.
Visualize
Briefly close your eyes and imagine your head and all of its parts. Imagine that your head is made of of tiny particles of light. Hold that image in your mind for three breaths.
Breathe
Take a deep breath and slowly exhale three times. Relax your shoulders even more as you continue to breathe.
Relax your neck and the back of your head and breathe some more. Relax the top of your head. Relax your eyebrows. Relax your jaw. Breathe.
Focus on the air flowing through your mouth as you continue to breathe. As thoughts come up, try to breathe between each thought. Don't worry about responding to or controlling the thoughts. Just breathe.
Continue this pattern for 2 minutes.
Affirm
Open your eyes and smile. Say this affirmation with a loud voice:
"I am open to positive thoughts about myself and about my future. My life has infinite possibilities for peace and joy!"
Get the motivation and inspiration to stay on track with your personal goals by taking the
2014 New Year’s Resolution Challenge!
Important Practice Tips
In just 21 days, you can unlock your hidden potential and transform your habits for a more fulfilled life. With a simple combination of daily inspiration, meditation, breathing exercises and affirmations, you can achieve your goals and create the life you really want.
Try to meditate at the same time every day:
Please remember that meditation involves your body and mind. Both will respond best to a consistent practice at a regular time. You will have better results if you do this around the same time every day.
Be patient with the healing process:
These 21 days will be process of self-healing. The healing process means that some emotional items you identify and release may seem to intensify as you are releasing them.
Also, there may be subtle physical reactions to the emotional release such as unexpected exhaustion or mild achiness.
This message is not intended as medical advice, so please consult your healthcare practitioner with any health concerns.