We all have goals, dreams and aspirations. Growing up, I used to make resolutions every year. And then somewhere in my twenties, I stopped. I thought resolutions were stupid and just another failed attempt to lose weight or try to fit in another pair of jeans.

I realized that many common resolutions are attached to external praises and our outward appearance and acceptance to the world. But, this year, I am back to resolutions. What happened? And why did this shift?

It’s partly because I appreciate the historical roots of the Romans changing the new year to January since this month was named after Janus, a two-headed Roman God who looks forward and backward.

This is important because our ancestors (I feel) were more spiritually aware and wise than we are today. Understanding the symbology behind  January to me meant that the energy for a rebirth is powerful at this time. I used to “hate” January because it’d be cold, dark, snowy/wet and the Christmas lights and magic disappear into thin air. Wahh, wahhh, wahh, poor me and my S.A.D. life. But through an emotional shift, I overcame this “poor me” syndrome and embraced January. Why? Because we can’t have it all. We must accept the light and the dark in every person, situation and season.

Now, I believe resolutions can be powerful for those with pure intentions and deep roots to personal identity. Why not just try something new? Why not revive your spirit?

We all make goals and plans at work, but we often leave the “take care of ourself” plan behind. A resoultion is merely mapping out something in our inner world that either needs fixed, changed or revived. It’s not rocket science. And most resolutions fail because of shallow roots. As we go through life, we should progress ourselves (just like we do at work…ahem promotions and advancement…). The more we progress our spirit, the more we affect the world in a positive way.

When I lived in a yoga ashram in Australia, I was re-introduced to the word, “sankalpa.”

Sankalpa is a notion formed in the heart and the mind. It’s a solemn vow and a commitment to nourishing our highest self. A sankalpa can be:

-a specific intention or goal that aligns heart-felt desires with daily actions.

Or it can be:

-a heart-felt desire that expresses who we are beyond our intellect. “I am whole.” “I am at peace.” I believe in myself” are examples of how we express ourselves from the heart but not necessarily the head.

This New Year energy is the perfect time for sankalpa. 2017 is a number 1 year in numerology. There’s no better way to put yourself and your goals first than this year!

Beginning on January 10th, I will submit a blog post each day with a new resolution. Some resolutions are “food for thought,” other resolutions are so simple you can do it at your desk in less than 3 minutes. The point is to get back into our spirit and re-root ourselves to the basics of human existence – thanks, appreciation, gratitude & acceptance.

In the picture, you can see some of my resolutions or “goals” for this year. It’s healthy to map out some goals in life, or something that you want to achieve on an annual (or quarterly/bi-annual) basis. And since I want to share my voice, this 12 Days of Resolutions is one for me to share it.

See you on the 10th at mindbodysoul-food.com