2008 – A New Year is Here!

Hello dear friends and clients and welcome to 2008! I believe this is going to be an exciting and fun year for us all. One of my goals is to reach out and share more information with all of you as we walk this path of self-mastery together so I´ve started this newsletter. Rest assured that all of your personal information is kept private and if you wish to opt out of this mailing list you can do so at the link below.

I hope you find information in the articles I write useful. I will also be asking my community of healers to contribute so that they might share some of their great information as well. As always, my philosophy is take what you need and leave the rest so without further ado let´s delve into our topic!

January´s Topic – Goal Setting & Self Mastery

Everyone makes resolutions at the beginning of the year, including me. So as I counseled myself on how to attain the goals I set for myself, I thought of a few key elements to successful goal setting that I thought I´d share. Having the clarity and self-determination to set and accomplish personal goals is one of the pillars of self-mastery, so read on!

Reflection Comes First:

I find it helpful in setting my future goals to take the time to review my past and see what comes to mind. This is not a time to feel bad about ourselves but to take a look at when we did, and in some cases did not, honor our own intuition. This does not need to be a long, arduous process, but can be accomplished while you are in line at the grocery store or bank.

For me it´s simple: my ongoing consternation about not having a consistent workout schedule is a continual annoyance to my self-esteem. I don´t need to look like a supermodel, but I do need to honor my own health and well being before other commitments. Reflecting on how I often do not keep this pact with myself gives me insight into what I would like to accomplish for 2008. The next time you are waiting for a latte at Starbucks ask yourself the following questions: “In 2007 did I…

• Make promises to myself or family members that I didn´t keep?
• Have a project that never got done?
• Over commit myself, so I did not have quality time for my own priorities?
• Avoid voicing any goals for myself so I would not disappoint myself or others?”
• Any promise to ourselves that we don´t keep, whether it´s cleaning out a closet or consistently taking that walk by the beach, traps our energy and intention, which we could use for other things. In ignoring our own intentions we do not honor our most precious gift: our own word.

Have a Reasonable Plan:

Many people often have grandiose plans that never actually get accomplished. Is it really reasonable that the entire garage will get cleaned out in one Saturday? Can you really give up every shred of chocolate from your diet overnight? Will I actually get up at 6am every day and work out for 60 minutes? Setting the bar too high keeps us from accomplishing anything at all. Then we subject ourselves to self-sabotage and negative self-talk. Isn´t this what is going on in the back of your mind as you fast forward your TiVo? Be honest!

In alignment with the idea that ¨Rome wasn´t built in a day¨ most large successes are accomplished one day at a time. Having a reasonable plan that can be executed is a step in the right direction. That means I won´t expect myself to rise at 6am and furiously work out, but instead I will do 20 minutes of any activity 3 times per week. A more reasonable plan that I can accomplish will increase my own self-esteem and honor my intuition about my overall health & fitness goals.

Flexibility and a willingness to accomplish small parts of the overall goal are keys to success. How could you modify your plans to complete a part of your overall goal? Where have you been unreasonable with yourself? Awareness of the past is an important component to changing the future.

See it Already Complete in Your Mind’s Eye

Visualization is an important tool in goal setting. Ask any professional athlete or healer and they will tell you how invaluable their own imagination is in training their body to accomplish a task. When you close your eyes and visualize an event the brain believes it is real and your nervous system responds accordingly. You can use this powerful tool for any task or goal you wish to set for yourself.

Often, when goal setting our mind generates personal invalidation to keep us from changing something about ourselves. Usually it comes in the form of excuses for why we ¨don’t have time¨ or there is ¨no one to help¨ us move forward. Or it may show up as your mind saying that this goal “isn’t really that important” compared to everything you have to do for everyone else.

Breaking through this invalidation is key to developing the quality of self-mastery and attaining your goals. The concept of self-mastery is a large topic. It is my experience that a commitment to self-mastery is the tool which we can use to find our enthusiasm. Living in that enthusiasm, once we have found it, enables each of us to have a more fulfilling, positive and emotionally connected life. From this place we can set the goals that are right for us. We can have the clarity to make a difference in the unique way each of us are meant to. As the year continues I’ll be writing about the path to self-mastery and living in enthusiasm. I hope you’ll join me on that adventure!

As you set your 2008 goals sidestep this personal invalidation by visualizing that you have already accomplished your goal. Sit for a moment and see the project complete in your mind´s eye. To use myself as an example, I visualize myself happy and grateful that I’ve finally been able to work out consistently. I see this new habit easily integrating into my life, I see & feel the glow on my skin from all that healthy movement and feel the vitality coursing through my body. Just writing that makes me feel great!

All of us have moments in the day when our mind’s wander. Take advantage of these moments to visualize your own project completed or goal attained. How do you feel now that you´ve done it? What is around you in your environment? Brush aside anything that comes to you in the ¨I can´t¨ category and actively turn your attention back to the ¨I can¨. If you have a full ten minutes or more to devote to this visualization that is wonderful, but any amount of time spent seeing your goal attained is worthwhile.

Note the positive feelings you experience when you see yourself in that success. Remember these feelings when you are feeling overwhelmed and like you can´t do it. Positive emotions do not just feel good, they are powerful chemical states in the mind and are self-motivating. They are yet another tool you can use to help you overcome the negative self-talk that inevitably arises when you are engaged in accomplishing your goal. Use these positive emotions as guide lights for your path to self-mastery.

Thought for the Month:

Goals are little promises we make to ourselves. Let 2008 be your time to discover and attain what is important to you. We are all entitled to live enthusiastic and fulfilling lives. Stake your claim to this today!

Future Topics:

Living in Enthusiasm – Strategies for a Fulfilling Life
The Pillars of Self-Mastery
Tools for Life Renovations
Enthusiasm as a Life Management Skill
Holistic Healthcare – Harmony through the Balance of East & West
Spiritual Business Management – Good Business & Spirituality Enhancing Each Other
Suggestions & Questions?

Do you have a topic you would like to see written about here or a question about this month’s article? E-mail me your questions or comments and I will make an effort to incorporate them in future newsletters.

About the Author:

Karuana Gatimu is a spiritual counselor and life strategist. She conducts her private practice in Redondo Beach, California counseling clients on attaining self-mastery using both ancient and new methodologies.

If you would you like some assistance with living in enthusiasm and pursuing your own path of self-mastery, schedule a personal session at your convenience. Conducted in person or via telephone sessions last approximately 2 hours and can be for both individuals and couples. E-mail or call 310-359-0706 for session details and pricing.

© 2008 Karuana Gatimu & Endless Magic, LLC