By Dr. Holly Holmes-Meredith, D. Min., MFT, Board Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist
and Bill Yarborough, CHT and Certified EFT Practitioner
Are you making traditional New Year’s resolutions, such as losing weight, exercising more, or drinking less alcohol? Or has the pandemic caused you to re-think your resolutions and drop some in favor of new ones? Not that healthy living isn’t still a good idea during a pandemic.
A studyfinds.org article in December 2020 reported that a survey by OnePoll revealed 7 in 10 adults say they are tossing out some of their usual New Year’s Resolutions to focus on finances, positivity, and life skills. In addition, the survey found 62% of Americans can’t wait to tackle the New Year with renewed motivation.
Similarly, a recent study by Fidelity Investments discovered that 65% of Americans say they experienced a financial setback in 2020, so they’re making money-related commitments like saving more and spending less.
So, there is a desire among Americans to use New Year’s Resolutions to help turn things around in 2021. Given that previous studies show less than 20% of Americans considered themselves successful in keeping New Year’s Resolutions, using new strategies may be helpful.
The first step to improve the likelihood of success with your resolutions is to consider your roadblocks. From an emotional health standpoint, the following obstacles may stand in your way: negative self-talk, unconscious conflicts, limiting beliefs, or a lack of commitment. Awareness of such roadblocks is a key step to success.
There are also “manifesting” tools that help bring your desires into reality. One approach is writing your resolution in terms of an affirmation on a piece of paper so you visualize it. You should be specific about the details of what you want and write it in the present tense—as if you’ve already achieved it. For example, an affirmation could read, "I am successfully saving 10% of my salary each month.”
An alternate or supplemental approach is to create a vision board for 2021 with cut-out pictures from magazines that visually portray what you desire. It’s important to place your written affirmation and/or vision board where you can see them regularly.
Many successful businesses know that creating a detailed plan is critical to achieving objectives. You can do the same by breaking your resolutions into realistic steps. Then you can check in on specific goals to gauge progress. You can even give yourself rewards for achieving milestones and/or have a support system of individuals who encourage you. The OnePoll found 45% of respondents plan to setup check points through the year to measure resolution progress, and 44% will create a game plan of specific actions steps.
All the above methods should strengthen the depth of your commitment in achieving New Year’s Resolutions. Also, be mindful as you write out your resolutions, create a 2021 vision board, or develop detailed plans: you may uncover additional inner roadblocks.
If the roadblocks are significant enough, you can use tools such as Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) or hypnotherapy. For example, you may feel deep down that you’re not worthy of success. EFT involves tapping on body pressure points to get release from negative emotions and/or inner beliefs. It’s an easy and proven method, and there are many sites on the Internet that show its use. Gary Craig, the founder of EFT, has a website: emofree.com. (click Gold Standard EFT Tapping Tutorial on the website’s bottom right).
Seeking professional assistance from a qualified hypnotherapist can help with unconscious conflicts or inner obstacles. Many practitioners are available online or in person using the above and other therapeutic techniques to assist you. Teaching professionals often have interns who charge minimal amounts.
Besides affirmations and vision boards, prayer and meditation are powerful aids in achieving your resolutions. They can put you into an expanded state of consciousness, giving your resolutions more power. All of these approaches connect you to your deeper self, where causal and quantum fields begin creation.
But achieving your New Year’s Resolution shouldn’t be your sole focus. Opportunities, synchronicities, and other coincidences could come into your life, giving you clues that you may want to tweak or morph your goals into something better. For example, your initial resolution may be to improve job performance, but you may realize it would be better to seek new employment. Alertness to these possibilities can help bring forth your more inspired, creative, resourceful, and intuitive self.
Holly witnessed a number of graduates of her hypnotherapy school build their business by using these manifesting tools, allowing them to overcome difficult roadblocks to success. Holly also observed a number of her clients successfully deal with limiting beliefs, negative self-talk, and unconscious conflicts in their personal life. With the increased Covid-19 restrictions this winter, you may find more time to explore these strategies.
If you have questions or comments, please reach out to us via the contact information on our websites: Holly@hypnotherapytraining.com or Bill@billyarborough.com.