Very few people have perfect lives - in fact it is probably fair to say that no-one has a perfect life.
Even if you are happy and contented with your lot, there are likely to be some dreams you have or things you would like to change in your life.
It may be that you have habits you would like to break, or it could be that there are places you would love to visit. Perhaps you have always wanted to write a book, but feel a bit silly talking about it to your family and friends.
For many people, the start of a new year seems to be the perfect time to make the changes they feel they need to make.
This is where the New Year’s Resolutions come in.
A list of rules for the new year that start on January 1 and all too often end before the first week of the year is out... “From 1st January I am going to stop smoking, eat healthily and run two miles every day.” Then along comes New Year’s Eve and the stroke of midnight sees you, glass of wine in one hand, cigarette in the other while you think about what to eat on the third trip to the buffet.
The next day when you wake up to the rain lashing down and feeling delicate, you feel the only exercise you can do is a regular trip to the fridge to stock up on carbs.
It’s no wonder only six per cent of people keep their resolutions to the end of January.
There is a better way.
Instead of punishing yourself, you can set goals that you feel really excited about. Instead of giving up things, actively go forward to new and better things.
Resolutions fail for many reasons, partly because by their nature they are often tough and punishing with little or no sign of rewards.
Also, it may be that the resolutions aren’t what you want at all, but are what you feel you should be doing for a partner, parent, child or employer. Unless you are really enthusiastic about your goals, they will be very difficult to achieve.
Sometimes there are just too many of them to keep up for any length of time. Or perhaps deep down you don’t think you can achieve them and so end up sabotaging yourself.
On the other hand, the really good news is that if you set the right goals you will go towards them with enthusiasm and it will all feel very easy and enjoyable.
So how do you know what goals are right for you?
Life Coaching can really help you to see and think clearly about what it is you really want to achieve.
By asking a series of questions, the Life Coach will uncover what is really important to you, and how to overcome any obstacles you may have in getting what you want.
A Life Coach does not advise or judge, but simply acts as a catalyst to help you achieve your goals.
So whether you want to start a new project; improve your work/life balance; bake more cakes; write the book you know is in you; run a marathon; make major changes in your life; move away from a bad habit; build better relationships; change your career or get more organised, Life Coaching either one to one or in a group setting could be for you.
By making the journey as enjoyable and inspiring as the destination, you could find yourself achieving more in 2014 than you ever dreamed possible.
- Dawn James is the resident Life Coach at Physio & Therapies in Todmorden.
She trained as a Life Coach in 2010 because she felt that many of the skills she had developed in previous employment as a trade union official and Open University student representative could be used to help and support individuals who were looking to make changes in their life but were struggling to make them on their own.
After obtaining her Life Coaching qualification, she added a further diploma in NLP, and is currently working towards advanced NLP Practitioner accreditation.
Dawn works with individuals on a one-to-one basis, as well as running workshops on specific issues, such as quitting smoking.
As a life coach, Dawn provides a non-judgemental environment in which clients can talk freely about the changes they wish to make in their lives, whether it be a change of career, a relationship issue or any other change. By asking pertinent questions, she will aim to give each client a new perspective on those issues in order that they can move forward towards their goals in a way that they feel is appropriate for them.
Dawn is available at Physio & Therapies on Tuesdays and Thursdays.