Why Do So Many New Year's Resolutions Fail?

I have seen this so many times. We start the New Year with the best intentions. This year is going to be different! I will finally lose weight, change my job, find love, etc.

But oftentimes, the motivation doesn't last. At some point, the enthusiasm peters out. Why does this happen?

There are many practices that helps us with our resolutions and goals: Understanding what we want, why we want it, what it will give us, getting emotionally connected with it, making a commitment, creating a plan/roadmap, ensuring it's a priority, building in accountability, surrounding ourselves with encouragement, and celebrating progress. But even if we do all the these things, there are a couple of big obstacles that often get in the way: Fears and Self-Limiting Beliefs

Fears can take on many forms: What if I make mistakes or fail, what if I get rejected, what if I let others down, what if it doesn't work out, etc. The list is endless.

Self-Limiting beliefs are any beliefs that feed on our fears. I do not deserve this, I cannot do this, I am too busy, too inexperienced, too young, too old, too shy, too impatient, etc. The list goes on. These beliefs might often be so ingrained that we are not even aware that they exist.

Combined, these two are a formidable force. Every time there is a setback, every time we hear a "no", every time something doesn't work out as planned, fear arises and the self-limiting belief gets activated. What to do?

The key is to break the cycle of fear and make a different choice each time it arises, and create new habits. We need to create an environment based on love, not fear. We need to seek out and feed compassion, kindness, positivity, joy, hope, faith, and optimism in our life. And we need to choose new beliefs that encourage, motivate, and support us instead.

If you would like to uncover some of the beliefs that are holding you back and choose and practice new ones, so you can finally realize your dreams and goals, join us this Wednesday for our "Overcome Self-limiting Beliefs to Reach Your Goals in 2013" workshop (Click here for workshop details and to sign up). 

Don't let fears and self-limiting beliefs hold you back! Let's make 2013 an amazing year!