Real Changes in 4 Steps

You may perhaps be either pro or anti New Year Resolutions. This year, I’m taking a gentler approach: I’m incorporating 4 lovely steps I’m renaming “tenants” or “Shifts.” Plus I’m throwing in 2 more bonus steps, also.  My basic plan that is changing my perspective this year: “Shifting with My Why.”

Some of us have made the same or similar resolution list over and over. Maybe with some success, and maybe nothing happened. What if instead of a “Do or Don’t” mentality, we simply “Shifted?” We’d move more smoothly into gear and our transition could be more gradual.

In my Hip The Hoopla classes, coaching, and mentoring, I sometimes refer to it as, “Baby Steps.” Kathy Freston, author of Quantum Wellness, brilliantly calls it “Leaning In.” You can call it “toe-dipping,” or whatever the heck you like. Right now, I personally resonate with “Shifting.”

Why is my list this year, both very, and subtly different? I’ve chosen less weighty goals for some of my plan. But the real key is that for the things that I still want to work on accomplishing…I need a better strategy. So I’m building off of my success strategies of the past, and adding a new one.

Over the years, I’ve decided to drink more water, get toxic chemicals out of my house, eat more simple homemade basic healthy foods, go vegetarian, meditate, do yoga, read more, and the list goes on. The “on” part refers to works yet to have more significant progress. (Ooops, I know, that’s guilt creeping in, lol.)

Which brings me to Tennent #1 for this year:

Be Gentler on Myself

I am great at “guilting myself out,” more for what I haven’t yet accomplished, or thought I didn’t achieve “well enough.” Time to move past that. Funny how a little life seasoning will bring about this wisdom.

That brings me to Tennant #2:

Celebrate My Wins
I am literally doing a silly happy dance. A rocking business friend of mine, Rita Goodroe calls hers, “The One Minute Dance Party.” Even if I don’t physically get up to dance, laugh, or hoop, I want to at least acknowledge myself for both my big and little wins.

I used to think cleaning my office was the big accomplishment. Now I know that clearing a simple well-used drawer, to reflect easy of use and the tools I genuinely need, is just as valid to my happiness and productivity. A little work done, that is in alignment and moving me towards my goals, is Movement. And success, begets more success. I didn’t make that principle up, but like sure does attract like.

Tennant #3:

Progress, Not Perfection.
This one is a doozy! I think it is human nature to stall completion until a project is deemed “Just Right.” The problem here though, is that many of us stay in that perpetual tweaking stage of un-done, rather than move over to the threshold of “good enough” and a completion. Making excuses of why something is not done, eventually wears so thin that “This is still not done,” is the overall message. Sometimes this step of making “progress” gets messy and frustrating because there may be one step forward and 2 or more steps back, on the way to that hopeful eventual achievement.

In japanese, they have a word “Kaizen,” which means “Never-ending improvement.” This is helpful for me so I don’t nestle into a “comfortable rut” and stay in that zone for my time on this planet.

My new Tennent #4 that I’m adding more into my Shifts List this year:

Understanding and having a really significant WHY. 
Sure I want to declutter and clear out things that no longer suit me or my current lifestyle. But my WHY is really powerful: to create a space to do the things I really WANT to do. When I have space to do what I want, I can literally breathe easier. I have more joy making progress on my goals. I can live with a space that’s clogged energetically, or I can open it up to it’s magnificent new purpose. My life is enhanced, and those around me benefit greatly too–more enjoyment, peace, prosperity, joy and overall harmony.

It’s pretty cool looking at a new year with hope, backed by action.

Oh, and my Bonus Step/Tennant A, (that I have actually been doing for several years now):

Utilize the Soft or Running Start

For me, this is taking a running start at the new year–before it starts! In this space, I am messing with my goals and trying them out when no one is looking–in December. I don’t make any grand announcements at all. I just make a mental list of some testers and start trying them out. This is like January for the rest of the world. What happens during January and a new list for a lot of people, is some inevitible tripping points. Many throw in the towel here and quit, instead of reupping and moving along anyway.  (See Tennent # 3 of Progress Not Perfection.)

Also another bonus step/Tennant B that I need to remember, too: 

Keep Your Sense of Humor

You see, I wanted to make a simple list, and it got long, pretty quickly. So I am laughing at myself already. But I still like a challenge and there seem to be 12 months to accomplish a little change for the better, in each one. Wish me luck! I’ll need a little of that, and a little kicking myself in the katookus.  Plus the help of some accountability buddies, will do wonders for my personal and professional progress. Blessings to you in your own journey. May it be not only successful, but also, a lot of fun!

I’d love to hear from you. What are your goals, personal ways to accomplish them, and what are your stumbling blocks and eventual successes? Any short cuts or tips you can share to help me and others? Please let me know on my www.Facebook.com/HipTheHoopla page, call, text, snail or e-mail.

Hoop Love, Ya’ll!
~Che Rippinger, Founder of Hip The Hoopla

~Che’ Rippinger is Hip The Hoopla‘s CHO (Chief Hooping Officer)/Owner/Founder and head humorist, with heart. She’s been hula hooping since 2008 and founded Hip The Hoopla in 2011 – while teaching, performing and making pro custom dance hula hoops. A dancer most of her life (30+years), Che’ has also been a humor writer/columnist, illustrator and cartoonist for The Denver Post and her Touché! Cartoons have been featured in PLAYGIRL Magazine.

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