The start of a new decade is filled with positive aspirations. It is about THINKING BIG and putting a plan/goal/strategy into play. It is a time of rebirth and letting go of what was and being in charge of creating what is. What do you want to achieve this year? Can you see it? What if you start small and build from there? The power of the mind is a beautiful thing. If you can clear out the clutter of self-doubt, past failures and blurry intentions and clearly envision a destination, you can and will get there. You are the author of your own story, so it is up to you to make it a good one. I saw the movie INVICTUS over the holidays. I loved one of the themes it explored: How do we inspire and empower change? In the movie, we see how one man’s complete focus on a single thing, creating a championship rugby team, is able to inspire bigger change. Through a winning team, a nation’s pride is born. Another holiday movie with a very strong message is THE BLIND SIDE. In its simplicity, it shows the power that love, belief, validation and focus can have on the life of one man, inspiring possibility and completely changing the direction of his life and the lives of everyone around him.

What if you put this into play in your own life? Focusing on a single small change could affect your life in a much larger way. This could include changing your eating habits, working out more, implementing a new exercise routine (like yoga), reading more, cleaning out one room each week, meditating on positive thoughts and what you want to bring into your life during the first 10 minutes of every morning, creating a vision board, going to church or temple, volunteering more, or spending more quality time with family and those you love versus those you feel obligated to spend time with because of your career. If you focus on any of the above, you will start to see change in all areas of your life. Since it is too overwhelming to start big, why not start small and see the very big effect that it will eventually have on your life?

How do we inspire change in ourselves? Information is a powerful thing. If there is something you want to change, read about it. By reading how others have dealt with the same type of obstacles, you will be empowered to do the same. The power of the word also inspires change. Here are some inspirational phrases worth meditating on to get you in the right mindset: yes we can, breath positivity and negativity out, being kindness, if you fail so what, I will take care of you, the opposite of within is without, change your thoughts, change your life, failure is your greatest opportunity for growth. Think about the words that inspire possibility in you. Every time you come across an inspirational line in a movie, book or newspaper or hear it from a friend, write it down. Refer to these words. Use them as your anchor.

If you add more positivity to your life, you will inspire change. It starts by taking care of yourself. If you are in a strong place and you spread your energy in a positive way, you will attract whatever you set your mind to accomplishing. In turn, you will see that being the author of your own story has its benefits. You can create what you want. It is up to you to make your story one worth telling and one that people will remember.