Two months into this year I came across an audio book on my library’s shelves, This Year I Will…How to Finally Change a Habit, Keep a Resolution, or Make A Dream Come True by M.J. Ryan.
After listening to it at least six times, I have new thoughts and ammo to make the changes in my life I feel are important to make.
Here is just a little of what I got from Ms. Ryan’s book:
- There is no one right way to make changes. Read, study, and decide the right way for you.
- New Year’s resolutions need to be backed by “preparation, when we are getting ready to do it, action, as in ‘I’m starting right now’ ; and maintainance, which means we keep going until we get where we want and stay there.”
- Understanding why I am the way I am is not nearly as important as I try to make it. Basically, I am who I am. Concentrate on changes I can make now to move towards my goals.
- To prepare for change, M.J. Ryan includes a practice from Dawna Markova, author of The Smart Parenting Revolution. This is the first step: Write every goal you think you’d like to accomplish in the next twenty years. Write as fast as you can. (Taking my age into consideration, I quickly decided to narrow that down to five years! )
- We do what we do because it serves some need.
I like this book because it is full of practical, common sense statements that I could relate to. She gives detailed explanations on the difficulties of making a change and follows through with steps to make the change and maintain it.
I purchased the book so I can re-read and refresh my memory as I take the first steps towards a change. I promise to report on how it is going in June.
More on M.J. Ryan and her books: http://www.mj-ryan.com and http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/282538.M_J_Ryan
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