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You don’t need a new day to start over, you only need a new mindset. – Hazel Hira Ozbek

Special Thought – Life is only as good as your mindset.

Welcome back to Renew Inspiration! I cannot believe it is two days before Christmas and 9 days before the new year. Time really flies when you’re having fun, right? I want to spend some time discussing a very important concept called – Shifting Your Mindset. Honestly, I feel it is necessary to not only shift your mindset, but also you should evaluate your life from time to time. It is important to use positive activities, such as practicing self-reflection, creating healthy habits, or maybe even preparing a vision board for the upcoming year.

SELF-REFLECTION

Women need real moments of solitude and self-reflection to balance out how much of ourselves we give away. – Barbara DeAngeles

Self-reflection can be defined as meditation or serious thought about one’s character, actions and motives. Self-reflection is a humbling process. It’s essential to find out why you think, say, and do certain things, then better yourself throughout the process.

• Self-reflection allows you to notice negative patterns in your life. Consider alternate approaches to your situation(s) and begin to move away from the stressors altogether.

• Self-reflection keeps you focused on the bigger picture. Identify a clear vision of where you want to see yourself in the future. Write it down and remind yourself of what you hope to accomplish.

• Self-reflection prevents you from worrying about things out of your control. Instead, direct your energy toward things you can absolutely improve within your life.

• Self-reflection helps you face your fears. Recognize and admit your fears to yourself and eventually learn how to handle them.

• Self-reflection allows you to clearly define happiness on your own terms. When are you most happy? Who do you most enjoy spending time with? What accomplishments are you most proud of and why? By recognizing the positive life events, you can apply your knowledge to future goals and endeavors.

Keep in mind, self-reflection is an incredible gift so please embrace it every day. Meditation can make our journey through life more peaceful if you allow it to. In the mirror we find a reflection of our appearance, but in the heart, we find a reflection of our soul.

Time spent in self-reflection is never wasted – it is an intimate date with yourself. – Paul TP Wong

CREATING HEALTHY HABITS

Create healthy habits, not restrictions. – Unknown Author

Well, it is that time of the year when a lot of people set new goals or resolutions to create healthy habits for the new year. People set out with the best intentions but often times fail to keep the momentum throughout the year for various reasons.

Please keep these important tips in mind when creating healthy habits:

• Start with a realistic, small and attainable goal.

• Work it into your schedule and write it down like any other appointment.

• Track your progress in a journal or online.

• Figure out strategies to overcome what might hold you back.

• Enlist a friend to work on the goal with you.

• Reward yourself for small victories.

• Forgive yourself if you slip up and keep trying. Giving up is not an option.

• Use triggers to your advantage. For example, meditate before bed time every night or lay out your workout clothes every morning before you leave for work.

Remember, when you start to create healthy habits your enthusiasm is high, and you’re motivated to see positive changes within your life. Be patient and allow yourself to make mistakes along the way. Our greatest capacity to have influence over our health is with creating healthy habits.

It takes 21 days to make or break a habit. – Unknown Author

VISION BOARD

Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe. – Oprah Winfrey

Have you ever created a vision board for yourself or your family? If not, what better time to think about creating one. A vision board is a visualization tool which refers to a board of any sort used to build a collage of words and pictures that represent your goals/dreams. By placing visual representations of your goals into one space, you can easily visualize them frequently.

Follow these important tips to create an awesome and inspiring vision board:

• Create a list of goals you’d like to achieve in the next year. In order to visualize your goals, first you need to know what they are. What do you want your ideal life to look like?

• Collect a bundle of old magazines with beautiful pictures. Our local library sells older magazines for $0.25 or ask your family/friends.

• Find pictures that represent your goals and inspire you. Focus on how the images make you feel.

• Make a collage out of your photos. Once you have collected enough photos, it’s time to make your vision board.

• Add motivational “affirmation words” that represent how you want to feel. For example, I want to feel joyful, powerful, fearless, loved, strong, healthy, loving and financially free.

• Take a few moments to contemplate your vision board every day. Place your vision board somewhere you can see it every day. Then, make time to look at it once or twice a day.

Don’t forget to write down when you created your vision board. It’s a good idea to create a new vision board each year. As you continue to grow, evolve and expand, your dreams/goals will too. Now, let’s reflect on the concept shifting your mindset for a moment. Hold your vision board in your hands and really internalize the future it represents. Read your daily affirmations and inspirational words aloud. Feel yourself in the future you have designed. Believe it is already yours. Be grateful for the good that is already present in your life. Acknowledge any goals you have already achieved and acknowledge the presence of God in your life.

If you don’t have a vision, you’re going to be stuck in what you know, and the only thing you know is what you’ve already seen. – Iyanla Vanzant

TIME FOR REFLECTION – JOURNAL PROMPTS

Your deepest struggle can, if you’re willing and open, produce your greatest strength. – Oprah Winfrey

• On a scale 1 – 10 my mental health is a ___________ because ___________________.

• What is happening in your mind right now? in your body? in your spirit?

• What does my vision for tomorrow look like? for 2019?

• What are the best choices I have made in life so far?

• What is one of life’s little pleasures that I appreciate?

• What challenged you today?

• What is something I need to be free from and surrender to God?

• Write about an area of your life you need more support in right now.

• Write about a goal or area of your life you need to be more committed to.

• List some new healthy habits you’d like to adapt in the new year.

As we look ahead to 2019, we’ve got gratitude on our minds. Continue to focus on your healthy living and fitness journey. I wish you a new year filled with joy, peace, hope, love, family, friends and laughter!

SHARE YOUR COMMENTS

Make your vision so clear that your fears become irrelevant. – Unknown Author

Becoming more self-aware provides an understanding of what we truly want in life. Now, it may not be easy, but as you can see, it is necessary, so you can make changes that will impact your life in a significant way. How do you plan to shift your mindset for the new year?

Believe in yourself today, tomorrow and forever!

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