Each new year brings with it new opportunities to recreate ourselves.

If you’re reading this it means that you were given a brand new canvas to paint on as boldly and brightly as you’d like.

If you’re staring at your canvas (i.e. your year ahead) not knowing exactly what to paint or what colors to choose you’re in luck.

The truth is making a few simple changes to your life a little at a time will yield BIG results by this year’s end.

So, if you’re ready to make this year rock, here are 8 simple yet powerful tools to have a rockin’ year!

1. Get a Vision.

“Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it’s only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential.” ~President Barack Obama

What’s a vision?

A vision is greater than a goal. It is the driving force for your life. One of your goals this year may be to own your own business. That’s great, however, it’s your vision that will wake you up every morning ignited and ready to go. It also having a vision that will allow you to come up with creative solutions to overcome obstacles.

It doesn’t matter if your job sucks or if you aren’t living your passion. Anything you see with your physical eye is only a temporary circumstance. And fortunately for you, any circumstance can CHANGE. Having a vision allows you to move beyond the apparent and into what is truly REAL. And what’s REAL is that you can be and do anything.

To get in touch with your vision ask yourself: “Why do I want to achieve this particular goal(s)?” The first answer may be to help my family, or to get out of your current job. That may be true, but I urge you to keep digging. Keep asking yourself why until you get to the answer that will encapsulate your GLOBAL VISION. Your Global Vision will be greater than yourself. Meaning that it will be greater than your self-doubts, your worries, and even your present circumstance. You’ll know you’ve found your REAL vision because it will ignite you. You may also physically feel sensations that will tell you that you’re on track. You may experience tingling on your body, chills, or butterflies in your stomach.

So spend a time getting in touch with your vision, clarifying it, and finding the root of why it’s so important.

2. Do Something.

“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.” ~Peter Marshall

Without action there is only stagnation.

For this year to truly rock you MUST take action steps. What actions? Whatever comes to your mind and inspires you at the same time. Your first action may be getting clear but once you get clear you must then take consistent steps to achieve your goal.

Don’t buy into the thought there’s nothing to do, because you can always take baby steps towards your goal. Don’t worry if what you’re doing is too small because doing something small over a period of time yields BIG results.

3. Give away what you’d most like to receive.

“You can’t live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you.” ~John Wooden

What have you given lately? I’m sure you’ve heard of the concept of giving a little every single day. But how about giving away what you’d most like to receive this year?

If your intention is to create more financial wealth why not donate more. It can be to charities, or even to someone in need. The key is to do it without expecting anything in return. So, if you’d like to be more supported this year give support to others. Want love? Give away love. Want a new job? Give a job. Stretch yourself in your giving. It could be as simple as hiring someone to do a simple task you’ve been meaning to do but haven’t, and finding ways to give love unconditionally everyday.

The key is to find daily ways to give away your biggest intention. By making someone else’s dreams come true you automatically step into your own dream. The key is doing this without attachment and with sincerity.

By giving away what you’d most like to receive you’re not only stretching yourself but you’re proving what you want exists and is possible.

4. Take Responsibility.

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” ~Winston Churchill

Taking Responsibility is not about blame, it’s about empowerment.

Once you take responsibility for all areas of your life you move from victim to victor. You are saying to yourself and the world that you can do something about what it is you don’t like. You are also setting in motion the elements of change.

Yes, it can be easier to complain and blame others for whatever situation you’re in but that gets old after a while. Once you claim responsibility you can no longer blame your parents, your boss, the economy, or the government.

When you take responsibility for your life you are affirming that there’s nothing outside of you that is greater you. That means no obstacle, no person, nor circumstance, and this builds unlimited self-confidence and self-worth.

5. Take risks.

“I am always doing that which I cannot do, in order that I may learn how to do it.” ~Pablo Picasso

Are you constantly doing the same thing over and over again? Maybe, the thing you’re doing is yielding some results but not the kind of results that will create a long lasting effect in your life.

In order to have the best year ever you must step outside of your comfort zone and take risks.

Many people look at risks as something scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Taking risks is an act of faith. It is letting go of control. When you take a risk you allow the magical powers of the universe to step in.

I invite you this year make a commitment to take one risk a week. Think about it. If you do this you would have taken 52 risks this year, and the more risks you take the easier it becomes to do.

So go ahead and step out of your comfort zone and into your miracle zone.

6. Let go and Be Flexible.

Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. ~Anonymous

In order to let go you must be flexible and in order to be flexible you must let go.

When you let go you are essentially letting go of attachment to outcome. How do you do this? By being in the moment and enjoying what you’re doing.

If you’re one of those people who are constantly doing something to get from where you are to “there”, and once you get “there” you immediately want to be somewhere besides “there” so you try to get to another “there”, you’re not going with the flow. Not to mention you’re also probably causing yourself a lot of stress and wearing yourself out.

A few years ago, I read an article where centenarians throughout the world were interviewed. They wanted to find out why these people were living to ripe old ages. They found that the common thread among these 100+ years olds were that they ALL had an uncanny ability to be flexible. They had gotten through wars, economic upturns and downturns, changes in technology, deaths and more because they weren’t tied to things having to be or go in specific one way. Each of them were able to adjust to the changes that occurred in their lives and find ways to be happy.

A few ways you can practice flexibility and letting go:
>>Be open and welcome new plans or plans that change at the last minute.
>>Allow yourself to be in the moment with simple daily activities.
>>Enjoy the process more than the outcome.

7. Realize there’s no failure only feedback.

“Life’s real failure is when you do not realize how close you were to success when you gave up.” ~Anonymous

In life there are only opportunities to learn and grow. Instead of looking at your life in terms of successes and failures why not look at all of it as feedback.

Think about it.

What’s a success?
A success is something you did that worked.

What’s a failure?
A failure is something you did that didn’t work.

Yes, it’s as simple as that.

In both of these instances you were given feedback about what you did. If something worked the feedback you received was to keep doing what you’re doing. If something didn’t work the feedback you received was simply to change your strategy or tactics.

In both cases you learned something and all you have to do is adjust. This is what businesses do. The ones that don’t listen to feedback often are not around for long.

Take a moment and think about something you did last year that didn’t work out as you would have liked. Ask yourself the following questions:
>>What was the feedback in this situation?
>>What were the lessons?
>>How can you adjust and what changes can you make now?
>>How has the feedback positively impacted the way you do things?

Incorporating this will allow you to build your resilience and bounce back muscle.

8. Create a Morning Ritual

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” ~Jim Rohn

I have used this technique for years now.

Currently what is your morning ritual? Do you rush out of bed, take a quick shower, not eat breakfast and head out the door in less than ½ hour? If so, changing your morning ritual can powerfully impact your year in a positive way.

A morning ritual is important because the way you start your day sets the tone for the entire day. Instead of rushing, think about a few things that you can do to feel centered, confident, and energized.

Over the years a few activities I’ve enjoyed doing in the morning are meditating (you can do this even if for a few minutes), journaling, reading inspirational books, leisurely showering and eating breakfast, yoga, texting my friends inspirational quotes and giving my mom a call.

Get in touch with what your mind, body and spirit needs. Your ritual may even incorporate doing something specific for each area. A few ideas of rituals you may want to incorporate: meditating and reading for your mind, exercising for your body, affirmations and visualization for your spirit.

Now it’s your turn. What simple yet effective strategies have helped you achieve massive success in the past? I invite you to share them below so we can all have the best year ever!

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Here’s to painting boldly and brightly this year and beyond!

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