Comings and Goings, Regulars and Shorts

Coach Jeannette: January 2009

By Jeannette Maw

Your story of the past year: Choosing a postive way of thinking about 2008 sets us up for a better 2009.
by Jeannette Maw
What are the stories you’re hearing—and telling—about the year behind us now and the new one ahead? Are you paying attention to the way you talk about what’s happened and what’s coming next? The transition into 2009 is an excellent time to remember to use your word powerfully.

Some sentiments I’ve heard from others:

“2008 kicked my butt.”
“That was the best year of my life.”
“I’m so glad to have that year behind me.”
“Something good is going to happen this year!”
“We’ve got a tough road ahead.”
“It’ll get worse before it gets better.”

I invite you to become aware of not just the words you’re speaking, but also recognize their power to dramatically alter what unfolds for you in the coming months as you choose them wisely.

Your habit of perception?

How do you tend to think about the last year? Was it a string of trials and tribulations, or did things pretty much go your way? Most of us can find examples of both; and—most of us don’t practice both perspectives. Usually we have a habit of one perception over another.

For example, do you more naturally see what went right during 2008? Or do you tend to focus on the shortcomings? As you do your “year in review,” do you see more highlights than lowlights? This is an important personal quality to be aware of, because it strongly affects what happens in 2009.

Whether we’re observing present circumstances, imagining the future or reflecting on days gone by, those thoughts make up our current vibrational frequency or energy patterns. That matters because what we vibrate now has everything to do with what unfolds next; how we think about the past affects what happens tomorrow. So choosing a positive way of thinking about 2008 sets us up for a better 2009.

A fellow entrepreneur celebrating her company’s one year anniversary this month said to me, “I survived a whole year!” As she talked about her journey it was clear she felt lucky to still be standing after 12 months of struggling and just getting by. While there’s undoubtedly different ways to think about the crossing the first anniversary milestone, the “survival” theme might not be one she would prefer to take with her into 2009. Tweaking the year-end assessment to a more powerful “gaining momentum,” “making progress on the learning curve” or “planted some important seeds” story would create a whole different energetic frequency for her—which changes what happens next!

No matter what went “right” or “wrong” for you in 2008, finding a way to look at it that feels better is an easy way to shift your energy, which soups up the new year.

Some of us have a tendency to focus on what didn’t get done or what didn’t go as planned. That focus attracts more of the same. It’s important to purposely reflect on what went right, what we did accomplish, what we are proud of. As you switch to a more empowering focus, you’ll feel the difference in your emotional energetic state.

What would you love?

As you look at 12 fresh months ahead of you, instead of anticipating what might be in store, flex your manifesting muscle by choosing what 2009 holds for you. You do that simply by being deliberate about the thoughts you think and the story you tell about 2009. Are you going to wait and see what happens? Worry what might go wrong? Or think about what you don’t want? Those points of focus aren’t likely to bring in rave reviews next New Year’s Eve!

Although most folks don’t consciously choose to think thoughts that dampen potential future success, most of us engage it to some degree unconsciously. What was the last thing you worried about, and how long ago was that? It might have been something as simple as wondering if there’s food stuck in your teeth, or whether you ran out of time at the meter. It might be a more alarming thought about whether you’ll be able to dodge the landlord another couple days or how mom’s surgery will turn out.

As you think, so shall it be. The energy of the new year offers a clean slate to start new habits; start with those all-powerful thoughts and feelings.

Instead of just doing a repeat of years past with mixed results, create a new result by asking what you would love to see happen; wonder about what fabulous things might unfold in this new vibration of 2009. Think of reasons to expect the best for the new year. As you do so, you literally change what happens next! As you change your mind, you change the state of matter. Your consciousness creates tomorrow; use it well.

Here’s to the best and brightest 2009 you can possibly imagine!

Empower your new year intentions

Here’s a process for redirecting old thought patterns into new ways of manifesting your deepest dreams and desires for 2009. To get off to a strong vibrational start this year, pull out a piece of paper and pen for this short written exercise from Mike Dooley’s “Mani?festing Change” audio program. It will help you dial up whatever you’d most enjoy in 2009.

First step: Think about things in the past you’ve wanted that have come to fruition in your life. Whether it was accomplishing a big goal, acquiring material things or having an experience you always wanted, note which of your old thoughts manifested in physical reality. Dooley instructs to “write down as many thoughts of yours that have already become the things and events in your life.” As you do so, skip lines or leave a space between each item. Note dreams of yours that have already come true or thoughts of yours that have already become things.

Second step: Once you’ve made this list, in the spaces between each “dream come true” or “thoughts that became things,” jot down present dreams of yours that will become true.

This method can be a profound way to see upcoming wishes and desires in a new light, as it strongly connects you with your ability to manifest what you want. Dooley says the simple act of associating prior successes with successes you wish to experience will show you you’ve been there before— you’re exercising an ancient muscle you came equipped with that effortlessly cre���������������������������

Variation #1: Jot down fears or challenges of the past that you’ve mastered or dealt with. Intermingle that list with some present day fears or challenges. This simple act of associating prior successes with present day challenges will immediately show you that you’ve been there before, you can do it again.

Variation #2: List names of people who have achieved as you wish to achieve, and in that list put your name.

Jeannette Maw is a Law of Attraction coach and founder of Good Vibe Coaching in Salt Lake City.

www.goodvibecoach.com

This article was originally published on December 31, 2008.