Christmas is just days away and I hope you are finding some time to get into the festive spirit, wind down and enjoy yourself.
This is is also a good time to reflect upon this last year and think about what you have achieved and learned and also what you would like to happen in 2010.
An effective way to get clear about what you want is to write a letter describing what it would take for you to be happy. Here are some questions to help you:
1. What characteristics would you like to adopt for 2010?
This time last year I decided that I wanted to lose weight and get super fit and healthy. In order to do this I needed to become more self-loving, self-disciplined and determined. Self-loving included cutting down on the amount of alcohol I drank and eating less saturated fat, sugar and salt.
This year I want to be someone who tackles paperwork so I want to be someone who is more personally effective, organised, productive and efficient.
What do you want to achieve in 2010 and what characteristics will you need to bring out of yourself in order to achieve your goals? It might help you to think about someone who has already achieved what you want to achieve. It could be a friend, a colleague and someone you respect and admire. What characteristics and qualities do they have that helped them to achieve what they did?
2. What energy drains do you want to get out of the way?
You know the ones…those irritating things that pile up and nag away at your peace of mind. From clearing out underneath the kitchen sink to making that difficult phone call these jobs can sap our happiness. Often, the thought of doing them is far more daunting that actually taking the action.
I had been putting off doing my tax return all year. Then last week I decided to just get it out of the way. It only took a few hours and I felt great afterwards. This small task had been getting on my nerves for months! Anyway, lesson learned – I am no longer going to put up with these niggling energy drains.
So what are your energy drains? Ask yourself: “Why am I putting up with these?” Then commit to clearing them one by one, starting with the one that will make the most difference. You will be amazed at the difference you will feel once you complete these tasks.
3. How can you live more consciously?
As human beings we have the ability to do amazing things and be amazing people. What makes you feel good about being human? How can you live so that your life is rewarding and fulfilling and you are at choice, living consciously and feeling good because you are doing what is right for you and being the best that you can? Not having to be perfect, mind you, just being the best version of you?
In 2010 I want to make an extra effort to reduce my carbon footprint. I want to stop eating fish and seafood and go fully vegetarian.
What choices do you want to make in your life that will make you happy? How can you express that? What would be the manifestation of that choice? Do you want to write that novel or book that will entertain or help others? Do you want to take a course or study to do the work you love? Do you want to live according to your most deeply held values?
4. What positive difference do you want to make in the world?
I think we all feel a need to make a difference to the world, to be a positive influence or make positive change. If you had a message to give to the world what would that be?
5. What would be your perfect weekend?
This is a question I ask of my coaching clients. Starting on Friday night and going right through to Sunday night think about your absolutely perfect weekend. Who would you spend it with? and What would you do?
You can do whatever you want…have a relaxing time, or go out dancing all weekend.
How can you bring this alive for you?
I would love to hear what makes you happy. Please share using the comments box below. 
I would appreciate it if you would please share this post using the button below or re-tweet using the re-tweet button above. Many thanks.
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Love the new look of your blog Janice, very calm and relaxing.
Some great points. I have decided 2010 is going to be about gratitude for me (I had noticed recently that I have been taking things for granted). btw I stopped eating meat in January this year and fish etc in March too.
Thanks
Jen
Hi Jen,
Lovely to see you here
thank you for your comment and glad you like the new look of my blog.
I took part in a scientific, happiness experiment earlier in the year and showing gratitude and thinking about things to be grateful for can raise our happiness levels! So a win-win situation there. I’m thinking about things now that I am grateful for and feeling happier already!
Hope I am as successful as you at stopping eating fish. This is something I’ve been thinking about for a while and it seems like this is the right time.
Janice
Would love to hear more about the scientific happiness experiment you took part in.
Liz
Hi Liz,
The on-line experiment was conducted by Professor Richard Wiseman (Head of Psychology at a research unit at Hertfordshire University). Over 26,000 people took part. We were split into 5 groups and randomly assigned a popular method to increase happiness. I wrote more about it here:
http://janicerobertson.co.uk/2009/11/4-methods-to-feel-happier/
The Science of Happiness website is here:
http://www.scienceofhappiness.co.uk/
Profession Wiseman also has a book out called 59 Seconds.
Hi Janice
Thanks for another inspiring newsletter.
I like the ideas in question 1 about thinking what characteristics I need to develop in order to achieve certain things. I’m going to give that some thought and hopefully bring some fresh light and inspiration to achieve some of the things that have been on my mind for a while but that I haven’t made any progress on – getting slimmer for one thing.
I am also considering cutting out meat in the New Year – not decided about fish yet so I might do it in stages like you have. I am finding the misalignment between my values and my behaviour on this one harder and harder to accept!
As for energy drains, all I can say is a big YES. Root them out and do them – the more you do the more motivation you get to do more
Wishing you a lovely, warm, peaceful Christmas.
Lucy
x
Hi Lucy,
Nice to hear from you again.
I actually felt inspired by Madonna to go to the gym and lose weight. Even if I only do half of what she does it’s still good! And hey your climb up Mount Kilimanjaro was pretty inspiring for me as well! Sounds like you already have all those characteristics you need to achieve you goals!
I know what you mean about misalignment of values and behaviour. I found that I just wasn’t enjoying eating fish anymore. It wasn’t making me happy.
Hope you have a lovely Christmas as well.
Hi Janice,
. The effectivity and productivity also rings a bell. I seem to be so busy but not really achieving what I want to achieve. Just ticking the boxes for uni. Ok ok, I did want to study there, but now I am doing it half of it seems irrelevant to what I want to do in the big picture.
.
how funny I was thinking about my 2010 and really want to do what you did this year: become fit and healthy again. May I come to you for advice if and when stuck?
Like the new look of your blog. Congrats on the post, I am off to do my goals
Bestest Wishes,
Irena
Hi Irena, becoming fit and healthy is well within your grasp
but certainly yes, if I can help I will be glad to. I want to lose another 14lbs next year so I will be continuing and stepping up my exercise programme in the New Year. Once I started to exercise reguarly I found that I reached a certain tipping point where I need and love to exercise. If I miss a session I fit all antsy. Find something you love doing, you may have to make yourself go to begin with, just put on your trainers and get out the door and soon, before you know it you will be seeing the results and feeling the benefits and it will become part of your life. Like eating, or sleeping.
Merry Christmas everybody.