How to Write a Reverse New Year's Resolution

Whether you believe in New Year's Resolutions or not, whether you make them or not, you should consider reverse engineering. Buddha said, "No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again." This is true. But you can also look past the beginning to make it happen.

In One Year and Out the Other

Yes, in one YEAR and out the other. Funny, I know (I didn't come up with it), but hopefully your years are filled with much, much more than empty promises and unfulfilled goals. THIS year, put your goals IN and let them continue going right into all the other years to follow.

Reviewing the Past

The first step is to learn how to review the past. Not so much in comparison to what goals you set and whether or not you reached them. Just review the past year. See how you did. Look at all the GOOD that happened. No downfalls allowed. No BUTs allowed. You wrote two new manuscripts? Awesome! Include it. Don't let yourself say, "But my goal was ten." That's not allowed.

What DID you accomplish? Did you land an agent? Did you revise a manuscript 20 times to near perfection? Awesome! Include that too. Did you attend a writing event? Did you run a new race? Did you take a fun family vacation? Did you overcome impossible odds? Overcome a bad habit you once had? In what ways did you grow, and learn, and achieve? Lay it all out there. You know you're awesome. Get it on paper. Or at least out in the open. Say it aloud.

Back to the Future

When you review the past, it is helpful to write it all down, but not necessary. But now we're getting to the nuts and bolts of how to write a reverse New Year's Resolution. And this part, my friend, you must write down. It has to do with dreams, goals, faith, love, happiness, feelings. It's like a vision board in words. Words make it even more real. Write a journal entry for December 31, 2017, as though it has already happened. That's the secret. As though it has already happened.

"Don't worry about the HOW, worry about the WOW," says Mike Dooley of TUT.com. Start your journal entry off like this, "This past year, 2017 (or whatever year you're doing this for) was the best year ever. I accomplished so much! It was amazing! I sold two books. It felt like I was on top of the world. Like I just finished a 2-mile run, but could have kept going for 10 more."

You get the idea. Have fun with it! Whatever your ideal life looks like, include that in your reverse New Year's Resolutions, as though it has already transpired. Whatever you want to have happen in your life, write it down. Don't write that certain things happened in certain months, just that it happened. Everything you write may not happen this year. But you'll be surprised at the end of the year at how much you did accomplish. Focus on the feelings of love and happiness and joy. How will each event, each accomplishment, each hurdle you overcome, make you feel? And that, my friend, is how you write a New's Year's resolution that won't leave you feeling like you gave up before the first day of Spring.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! What is one thing you would LOVE to have happen this year? Share in the comments!

Keep on keepin' on...

BACK TO TOP | READ MORE POSTS