Resolutions schmezolutions! 

That’s the conclusion I came to years ago when I vowed never to waste my energy on New Year’s resolutions again.  

I’ve just never had much success with making resolutions — typically they felt like an external goal I was trying to reach, sometimes realistic and sometimes not. Usually it felt more like a “should” than something I was truly excited about.  So, each year… after months (if I was super committed), weeks, sometimes only days, my resolve to change faded.  Ugh, a broken promise to myself. This is about the worst form of self degredation!

A several years ago, I tried something new. I didn’t know it was called a “theme,” but I set up a new way of defining the year ahead.  There is, after all, a sort of “clean slate” feeling to a fresh new year.  Being one who believes in setting intentions and visioning, I wanted to set forth some kind of goal or mission for myself.

So I proclaimed that it would be the year of “Opposite.” I decided that every chance I got, I would examine my routines, habits and reactions to life in terms of “What would the opposite routine/habit/reaction be?” Wow, it was so powerful! I turned many habits upside down, formed new ways of seeing myself, and moved ahead on a few challenges I had previously thought too scary (a new business, a challenging certification process, for starters!).  I didn’t do every single thing in an opposite way — I didn’t dye my brown hair blonde or trade in my car for a motorcycle — but I gave myself the option to consider the opposite way, even if just to stretch my imagination further. It certainly helped me stretch my view of my own life.

My theme for 2010 is: Trust. 

Trust, plain and simple. For me it looks something like this: I am inviting myself to be trustworthy with myself. I am inviting myself to trust the Divine. I am allowing trust into my life more. I’m inviting myself to examine the places where I have become… errr, ummm, jaded and skeptical (yes, me, the positivity girl, has some dark places!).

I became very clear on this theme after spending 2009 scrunched up in a perpetual state of mistrust: Could I keep my business going in this economic dive?  What horrific surprise is going to pounce on me next?  Oh, how tiring it is to live with those kinds of thoughts churning within me. I am usually an optimistic soul, but I had become mistrusting — especially of my own abilities. Yuck, not an ALIVE! way to live.

And guess what? Last year is the first year in many that I never got around to creating my theme. My themeless 2009 was not my best year ever….  never again! I’m now a theme convert for life!

I alwyas create a little laminated card that visually represents my theme – I make several and place them strategically around in office, my house, and my laptop bag, so that I have a constant and compelling reminder. Usually it has a picture that I’m in love with. So far, it’s always something in nature. This year’s Trust theme features a sea otter floating peacefully — and trustfully – just allowing the water to provide a safe, nurturing support.  I want to trust myself and my world like that otter trusts the water!

I also love that as an animal totem, otter wisdom asks us to make good use of our talents. This is perfect for me in 2010, as I step more fully into bringing my own gifts out into the world.

What is YOUR theme for 2010?

And how can you use it to support your year, to be the backdrop to your dreams, goals and vision? And what structure (like my laminated card) might you create to keep this theme front and center, a reminder when the chips are down?