Dear Friends,
Happy New Year! While every day is truly the chance to evolve, right now is a particularly fresh and exciting time where the collective consciousness is supporting the energy of regeneration and starting anew.
Now that the celebrations have settled I wanted to write to you about shifting your attention inward, and focusing on some ideas to help you achieve your goals this year.
Let’s jump right into it:
1. What are your goals and dreams?
Do you really know them yourself? It is really key that you write them out in specific terms. Sure you may want a “better job” or to “lose some weight” this year but what does that really mean, anyway? Do you want to land an entry-level job to get started in public relations or music, because those are fields you love? Or do you want to become a regional manager in your office? Do you want to lose 5 pounds or do you mean that you want to get fit and toned, and shed toxins from your fat cells in the process of shedding 10 pounds or more?
If you are not specific in what you want to achieve, you cannot attract or create it into your life. If you haven’t already, take some time to think about what you really want. Let yourself dream and visualize what you’d like to achieve, being open to your feelings without imposing boundaries or limitations.
Once you have the dreams clear, write down the goals that you would like to achieve this year in definite terms. For instance, if you dream of being financially free this year, you might feel now the lightness and freedom associated with that. Your goals could be that you experience a promotion in your position at your job. Or that you create another stream of income tutoring kids, which you love to do. This gives you something tangible to focus your creative powers on.
In order to achieve this in a fully authentic and Aligned way (the first step in the Realize Yourself process), it is essential to be still and listen to yourself and your true feelings. Self-reference feedback is key to ensuring you are desiring what is in alignment with your true self, versus feeding or strengthening your ego. For instance, many people who simply desire fame and to be known for its own sake, are really seeking validation and to be loved. But if you instead focus on serving or connecting with others, you would have more love flowing through you and be able to experience more love in your life.
Be as specific as possible, and write it down. I like to photocopy my goals and put them in places I always see them and am reminded of them- such as in my bathroom and next to my bed. When you look at them, ideally daily, allow yourself to feel the feelings you will feel when you do achieve your goals.
2. Focus on positivity, even if you have to force yourself at first.
You have to remove doubt, worry and uncertainty from your mind, even if in the past you have been too timid to dream of your goals…the past is gone! Now is the time to grasp the unlimited creative power within you.
You don’t have to know all the details for getting there exactly. In fact, it’s better to be definite in what you want and allow your deeper intelligence to work on figuring out solutions you perhaps haven’t figure out yet consciously. It is okay to not know exactly how you are going to get there! Have faith in your intentions and creative power.
If you send out the energy of doubt it cancels out the energy and focus you have for creating and defining your actual goals. Any time doubt creeps in, exhale out strongly and focus on your breath for a moment, to help clear your mind. Expect the outcome to come about with confidence and optimism.
3. Meditate.
I believe this is the most worthwhile activity you can engage in, and that it will make all other activities and pursuits in your life more successful, including being happy, material success, being a mother/father, spiritual understanding, etc.
Great spiritual masters teach that if you are only conscious of the material world, you will only be able to draw resources from there, which is limited in every way. But if you tap into the creative power of Spirit, God, the Universe, the Divine, Consciousness–whatever you want to call it–you will tap into the unlimited core of life itself, of which you are part. And you will see that you really have no limits, both in what you can do, achieve and in the personal transformations you can make.
I started meditating when I found my Guru, Paramahansa Yogananda, in India the first time I journeyed there. But you don’t have to go to India to learn to meditate, or wait until you find the internal spanda, or pulse of inspiration, to find a guru necessarily. I can share with you that meditation has transformed every aspect of my life, and my entire perspective of life itself. I am still evolving and growing every day of course. But it has given me focus, awareness, a deeper understanding. It is an incredible tool that is always there for peace and tapping back into what is most important and real, when the swirl of chaos of daily life is pulling you in a million different ways.
Meditation takes many forms and there are many techniques by many different Masters and teachers. The simplest way to start is to begin a basic practice of setting aside at least 3-5 minutes in the morning and before bedtime to be still, to listen to your breath coming in and out of your nose. Let your palms rest facing up so remain open to deeper knowing. Keep your spine straight, and bring your attention back to your breath when your mind wanders.
But if you are called to learn very definite and scientific techniques of meditation, I suggest you do the Lessons of Paramahansa Yogananda. They are Lessons that are mailed you every two weeks, a few pages each, to walk you through meditation techniques and ways of conducting your lifestyle. They have supported me immeasurably on my path.
No matter what path you choose, going inward is key. Our world is so fast and loud and will throw your nervous system and focus off quickly, if you aren’t vigilant. Meditating and going within allows you to “reset” and realign with the true essence of consciousness, which you are. This is the way to access the full potential of your power.
4. Include others’ happiness in your goals.
Your goals and dreams will be much more powerful if they include supporing the welfare of others. Create ways to help others in your work and pursuits. For instance, if you are a mom, maybe a goal is to create a mom’s fitness group where you can hike or walk together with your strollers, so not only are you getting in shape/losing the baby weight, but you are helping other mothers feel connected and uplifted as well. Maybe you want to spread kindness at work to the other employees by being a peaceful and inspired manager.
This can take on many infinite forms. Feel how it fits into your specific goals.
5. Live the life.
What I mean by this is that you have to life a lifestyle that is in support of all aspects of you and your body as you pursue your goals. You need every strength you can to be aligned with your creative focus. Why diminish your power?
It starts with right diet. If your body is toxic, it will diminish your energy and cloud your higher thinking abilities. We give plenty of resources here to support you with that, including with the Beauty Detox Solution, and lots of blog posts, and I encourage you to start applying them to your life.
Besides diet, look at other habits that may be holding you back. Are you drinking alcohol too much, so that deep down you aren’t feeling good anymore about it? I’m only giving examples (based on personal experience and feedback from my clients). Only YOU know what you need to adjust in your lifestyle.
But sometimes you have to be honest with yourself, and stand up, which may be a little hard at first. It may involve spending less time with certain energy-sucking people, or avoiding situations (like regular bars or hangouts you went in the past), where you smoke, drink, watch negative television shows, whatever, that aren’t serving you anymore. I used to watch this certain reality show based on a bunch of women. At first I would say to myself, “It’s all in fun. It’s like watching a train wreck!” But then I started noticing that the drama was actually bringing negativity into my life, even by just witnessing it. So I stopped watching.
Remember that all aspects of your life are connected. There are not some parts that are isolated from others. So I encourage you to examine your life holistically, and ensure that all parts are aligned to support your evolution, and Realizing Yourself, which is the ultimate goal to tap into all creative power and consciousness.
I hope this has inspired you on your path. I do want the best for you. I know that as you grow, you will inspire and help others around you grow also, and together we will raise the consciousness of the planet and be able to support each other.
2014 is truly going to be amazing!
I send my love,
Kimberly
Thank you for sharing Kim! How did you find your guru and how has he influenced your life?
Don’t let her fool you! He died 30 years before she was born!
<3 this. Thank you Kimberly.
This will be a post that I will make a point of coming back to throughout the year to refocus and stay inspired. I am still struggling with meditation but I will not give up! Thanks Kim <3
Very well written and meaningful. Thank you and I hope you have a very blessed and wonderful 2014.
Excellent article, Kimberly. Thank you
Thank you Kimberly.Very timely.This will really help me on my on my way.
Thanks Kim for another inspiring article. I would love to learn more about meditating!
Best wishes and success for 2014!
Thank You Kim! Happy New Year! How inspirational this blog was! Thank you for signing my book at Whole Foods in ATL…I love your original book that you recommended to me too! : )
Hi Kimberly,
This was such an AMAZING post to read. Thanks so much for putting so much of your heart and soul into this :-) I have been following your Beauty Detox Solution for a number of months now, and I know what you mean. It is hard, but it will be good for people to remove the toxicity that is holding them back. I also loved the idea that you can think positively, and let go of the past.
I wish you ALL the best for 2014, and hope to engage and read more of your wonderful through your blog and books. It is quite a resource! Well played :-)
:Love you xxo rah
Excellent post,Kim. Thanks so much for sharing.
Wonderful post Kim. Thanks so much for sharing.
Thanks so much Kim! You’re such an inspiration. You give us that extra push we need! I can’t wait to see what this exciting journey has in store for me. Happy New Years!
I have just read this article after meditating for 10mins and it just nearly brought me to tears- happy tears that is. It hit a nerve with me because I have been mediating mostly daily for a number of months now and has helped me so much. I feel it’s has kept me centred and focused. It was quite hard at first but I am now enjoying the silence and being connected to God. It’s has given me strength through job interviews and not to get so nervous and doubt myself when I started the new job. I am so pleased I came across the article by Kimberley by chance, I immediately ran out and brought the book. It’s been helping me eat well and mediate but it’s so much more than that. I feel more like me than I have felt in a long time and for that I am so grateful to Kimberley!
Thanks, you are so inspirational xx
Thank you so much, Kimberly. I really needed this now. I hit a roadblock in 2013 with trying to refocus towards a satisfying career path and connecting with my goals and dreams. I have a bachelor’s in nutritional science and struggling on moving on after working now for nearly two years to really find my true passion whether it is staying in the field or pursuing an alternate path. After reading your post, I realize how I have been ‘bypassing’ taking the time to actually dream and visualize in order to be specific in what fits my true self. I have had countless inspiring conversations with my family and friends over moving on from here without any success in realizing what I really want to do. It has been frustrating feeling like I am at a standstill. I know that progress will truly only come from within.
I have been a big fan of yours since January 2013 when I first discovered your website and then purchased The Beauty Detox Solution. I aspire to your lifestyle. You are a huge inspiration in my life! Thank you!
Exactly what I needed to read today! Thank you for your motivation and inspiration :)))
Great tips. Thank you for sharing.
Realized how much I’m struggling with what I really want to do vs. what I feel I can actually do at my age. Suddenly it seems everyone else is so young and has so much of life ahead of them! Trying to get past that, but it is much harder than I realized. Thank you for the encouragement. I am trying so hard!
Hi Kimberly,
Thank you for another wonder blog post.
Not to get off subject but could you please answer a question I have concerning skin moles? Assuming they are benign moles, are there specific “beauty foods” you would suggest to combat them? I do not want to try to treat it from the outside (rubbing ACV or other concoctions) to try to remove them since the problem comes from within that’s causing it…
Many thanks !
Sophie
Excellent post!
Inspiring as always!
I was so happy to see the photo of you in India. I sat in almost the same spot in Bodh Gaya!
Love this and you, Kimberly!! Great article that puts everything in perspective. Looking at your life holistically is such great advice- only keep/entertain things that serve you. LOVE IT.
Xoxo,
Claire
Florida
There’s an old saying : If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Those people who have no goals or targets in their lives will just drift aimlessly from one crisis to the next. Love your article, I just hope those who read it can pass it around to those who should be reading it!
Don’t let her fool you! He died 30 years before she was born!
this is odd about Kimberly’s guru, I just googled it and he died in 1952! Perhaps she means he became her guru through his teachings, books, etc.? Either way, it would have been nice to have this clarified a little more so as not to sound so misleading. Other than that, great post.
Thanks for this Kim! I think it’s more important to make goals for the new year than resolutions. It works better for me.Compare these: “I’m going to go to the gym twice a week” and “by the end of this year, I’ll weigh 130 pounds”. The last one includes a specific goal to work towards and an affirmation too :)