Choosing your life theme
How many people do you know who, in January, enthusiastically name their resolution for the year yet fail to follow through with it? Forget about making New Year's resolutions this year. They rarely work because they are often based on "shoulds" rather than the bigger picture of a person's life. I've found that creating a life theme for the year ahead stands a better chance of success than a resolution.
What's a life theme?
Your life theme is your overriding intention or "big picture" focus for the upcoming months. It has an expiration date of December 31, when you can re-evaluate your direction. Having a life theme is like having a personal mission statement, personal and professional, updated annually. A life theme works because it incorporates and connects all of your intentions for the year in a succinct and powerful phrase. This collection of one to five words describes what you want to accomplish in all areas of your life and cements your main priorities with intended action.
How do I make a life plan?
To compose your life plan, explore who you are and what you want to create for your life. Throughout your personal discovery, maybe you've noticed that "well-being" or "wellness" comes up often. Or perhaps you've noticed more of a "relationship" theme surfacing from the priorities you'd like to work on. Or maybe the word "passion" has tugged at your heart repeatedly, or you strive for increased "patience." These are all great themes for the upcoming year. You may recognize that you haven't made enough time in your life for friends, that your networks are weak and you'd like to have a social circle beyond your immediate family. In this case, your life theme could be "connection." If you've realized that your life is far more filled with work and errands than with fun and play, you may want to fix that imbalance and identify "energy" as your life theme.
Base your theme on what you find joyful and what you want to accomplish both personally and professionally. Your theme needs to strike an emotional chord and bring a smile to your face when your say it. Own it and feel its magic. It must propel you forward.
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