What did you promise or resolve to do last year?

If you were not able to keep a promise to yourself or if your 2015 New Year's Resolution fell by the wayside, you are not alone.  We are creatures of habit.  Even the most disciplined individuals can fail to make the changes needed to reach goals or improve their quality of life.  It can sometimes seem as if we actively work against ourselves to stay stuck in the same routine, doing the same things year in and year out.

In fact, it's your ego that keeps you from following your dreams, causes you to stay in bad relationships or dead-end jobs.  It is your ego that comes up with the long list of reasons why you can’t or shouldn’t do whatever it is you say you want to do.  The ego is that pesky voice in your head that fills you with fear and stops you whenever you think about calling a divorce attorney or keeps you from sending out your resume to get a better job.  It's the voice that tells you that you will never be successful.  

So why do we listen to our ego?  When we listen to our ego and talk ourselves out of doing something, we get to be "safe".   Circumstances stay the same so we avoid the uncomfortable uncertainty of the unknown.  If we don't try something new, we can't fail at it.  We escape being judged by others.  When we avoid change and think we are playing it safe, we are fooling ourselves.

In reality, circumstances never stay the same.   Change is inevitable.  Which seems more empowering to you, driving the change or clinging to the past and hoping things never change?  By not trying anything that is out of our comfort zone, we have already failed.  We have failed to become the best version of ourselves.  We have failed to share our gifts and talents with the world.  

Everyone is being judged by someone every day.   Others may think you are too assertive or not assertive enough that you are too loud or too quiet; the list goes on and on...  It is impossible to please everyone. There is no way to escape being judged by others.  It is our ego, that takes the judgments of others, and uses them to paralyze us to the point that we don't take action.  

So, how can you get past your ego?  To outwit the ego and reach your goals,  you must push through the resistance.  You are not always going to "feel" like doing it.  But, if you do it anyway, you are likely to find that the passion and enjoyment will follow.

What are your intentions or goals for 2016?  Be conscious of the fear that will arise to trip you up and hold you back.   Find someone who is willing to be your accountability partner.  Someone you can call for support when fearful thoughts threaten to sabotage your progress.

Make it a great year!