By now, your New Year's resolutions made in the euphoria of the first days of the decade will have shaken out. The new "exercise routine", "diet regime", "watch less TV", "limit time on the internet", and "stop smoking" resolutions may have already fallen by the wayside. The ones that count will keep holding.

We are still in January. What is it that you would really like to improve or change in your life? What would you like to see change in our world? And how would you like to be part of that change? How will you be inspiring yourself this year?

A resolution is a sacred act because it is issued like a prayer within yourself, a devout commitment that asks to be honoured and invites you to engage a portion of your precious life energy to fulfill and realize it. The feelings of disappointment or sadness you may experience from time to time can relate to your own lack of fulfilling an expectation you have set up for yourself.

Which brings me to forgiveness. Breaking a promise does not have to undermine your sense of value and well-being. Things change. What looked good and promising one day may take on another colour the next day. If we all had total understanding of the world and its ways, we would be geniuses of planning and perfection. Not the case, in my experience.

If one of the intentions you still hold for 2010 is greater well-being, peace of mind, or more nourishing sleep, start to practice forgiveness on a regular basis. Let go of and be willing to learn from the errors of your ways, the broken promises - intentional or otherwise - and the richness of your life experience, the positive and the less than positive. Enjoy the fullness of the present moment.

I found this poem by Dr. Robert Holden inspiring.

The Angel of Forgiveness

Forgiveness is an Angel you pray to
when you need a miracle to
save you.

Forgiveness loves you all the way
home. Its sweet essence leads
you back to the Garden.

Forgiveness is a blessing that gives
you back your innocence again.

Forgiveness teaches you who You
really are, when you let go
and let God love you.

Forgiveness is a way of seeing. It
shows you what is real, and what
cannot be hurt.

Forgiveness is a holy star the lights
the way ahead for you.

Forgiveness helps you to find the
present. The shadows of the past
disappear all into now.

Forgiveness gives you wings. You
are free now to go on and be
who You came to be.

Forgiveness is the gift you came
to give to the world. Heaven's
gentle smile here upon earth.

Present times require us to be faster and more responsive to change than ever before. We are being given the opportunity to demonstrate how adaptable and flexible we truly are. One of the most painful conditions that I deal with in myself and my clients is the feeling of being "stuck" - frozen without any capacity to adapt to or improve an apparently hopeless situation, such as a health issue, a lack of finances, an unhappy relationship, or a misunderstanding.

The truth is that you have much more power, possibility and potential than you may fully appreciate and allow yourself to recognize. It may take a catalyst to reveal what can be achieved in a challenging circumstance. Like lighting a touch paper, your awakening can give you the enthusiasm and clarity to take the next step forward. So I return to what you really want this year.

In my experience, the deepest desires and heartfelt visions challenge limited patterns of belief and behaviour and open a channel for more of your gifts and talents to be expressed and known. Such desires are like the fire of your human spirit. This fire can burn the dross that would hold you back, and light your way forward, step by step.

Recently I downloaded a pdf file of a short book Your Invisible Power by Genevieve Behrend, originally published in 1921. I found it a good reminder about what I know to be true when you strongly commit and act to accomplish a deeply desired outcome. If you would like a copy, contact me at the address below.

A final note on successfully achieving a new outcome. You may wish to create a support group around you to keep you on track. You might choose an accountability buddy. There is also strength in keeping your intention to yourself, like a seed in a dark place. When it has germinated, then might be the time to bring it into the light of day and invite outer support. Sometimes, telling others about an important goal can weaken your resolve. Think about what is best for you, and when.

In this video Dr. Wayne Dyer invites us to consider 4 ways we can achieve what we want:

The Synchronicity of Strawberry Ice-Cream - Dr. Wayne Dyer

What would you most like for yourself and our world in this year? How do you see yourself accomplishing what is most important for you? What gives you greatest hope?

Please feel free to leave a comment below, or contact me at anne@annenaylor.com