8 Tips to Make 2018 Great

There’s something about the new year that inspires us to be the best we can be. It’s an opportunity for change, a fresh start and to plan ahead. My work is all about supporting you to realize your goals and to empower you to live a life you love. May these tips guide you in making 2018 the best year yet. 

1. Write down your goals and what you wish to achieve this year

A first step to bring ideas into reality is to write them down. Writing down your aspirations helps them become more real and concrete. Maybe you haven’t even thought about what you want to realize this year? This exercise gets you focused and clear about what you want so that you know what decisions to make and actions to take. 

2. Exercise

I know, this is the last thing you want to hear me say. It’s cliche, I know, BUT it’s essential to your mental health. Let’s put physique aside for a minute and focus on the other benefits of exercise. It’s a stress reliever, ups the happy chemicals in the body, gives you energy and help you to feel strong while realizing your goals. 

3. Meditate

For many people meditation seems like a far out thing that's impossible to achieve. First of all, it’s not achievable. It’s a practice. Something that you do to train your mind everyday. In the beginning, somedays it goes great, and other days go not so great. The key is consistency and focus. This trains the monkey chatter mind, preventing it from going on and on, and instead helping us to be present to the now. If you're not sure what to do, just sit still in silence, close your eyes, and focus your attention on observing everything within and around you. Enter into a listening mode. This is enough to begin to change the habits of the ind. And of course if you'd like to learn more about how to meditate, contact me for a session.  

4. Express Your Gratitude ALL the time

Gratitude is the secret to happiness. Imagine if your attention and awareness was always focused on what you appreciated and loved about every moment of the day. Try it. Gratitude connects us to the love and happiness that lives inside of us that's independent of any person or thing. So if you catch yourself complaining, negate it with a BUT and state something you appreciate about the situation. See how your mood shifts when you choose to focus on what you are grateful for. 

5. Breathe

Every day breathe deeply. This is one of the fundamental things I share in the Initiation Program and personalized coaching programs, and people love it. Breathing makes such a positive difference in our day. Set an alarm for 10 minutes and just breathe deeply, sitting at your desk or laying down upon waking. Use whatever techniques you like or contact me for a session to learn more. 

6. Less Sugar and Alcohol, More Veggies and Water

Food is our medicine and our poison. Most of the time low energy, depression, brain fog and fatigue is a result of what we put into our bodies. Our bodies are machines that don’t function well if we feed them low quality fuel. Putt Putt. Sugar and alcohol are both toxic to the body. We need extra energy to process these in our body. They wreak havoc on our system. Our bodies (and minds) LOVE the nutrient density of Veggies and the purifying, hydrating effects of water. 

7. Honor Your Truth

Don’t compromise. There are infinite possibilities available to us in every moment. We just need to believe in them and open to them. We also need to have the patience and trust that what we wish for will come to us. Too often people settle, they accept what arrives instead of creating the story they wish to live. 

8. Give What You Wish to Receive

The more we give, the more we receive. If you feel inspired, give. Give for no reason. Give because someone asks of you. Being less selfish in how you give, creates the space for you to receive your selfish desires. Sometimes it’s hard to make the first move and give. But in reality, it’s great medicine to give from a space of not needed to receive anything in return. We can give with our time, money, attention, talents, smiles, hugs, love, etc. You decide. And the amazing thing is, you’ll observe how much more abundant your life becomes when you give freely. 

Share in the comments section below which tip resonates with you the most and why. I'd be happy to share some insight with you. 

Some of these tips may seem obvious. If so, what prevents us from doing them regularly and consistently? Working consistently with a coach like me helps you to see your sabotaging patterns so you can transform them and live in integrity with all you wish to have, do and be in life. It’s also a space for accountability and to keep you on track when challenges arise, because perhaps they're actually opportunities. 

If you’d like one on one support in optimizing your mind and body AND in realizing your dreams and goals this year, contact me to schedule your online life coaching session. 

With love and many blessings for this new year, 
Dr. Nikki Starr