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Are you where you thought you would be as the new year begins?

Have you put off changes that you need to make?

Are there people zapping your energy and robbing you of what you could achieve? 

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, here are 9 crucial actions that can help ensure that 2010 will be a great year for you. These actions can put your life on a different path. It’s like flipping the switch on a train track — the initial change is minimal, but down the line the difference can be enormous.

1. Distance yourself from the dream crushers, naysayers, and negative influences. Just like we are what we eat, we are a product of the people we spend time with and the information we take in. Who are you surrounding yourself with? What are you reading? How much are you dwelling on negative news stories?  I am not suggesting that we put our heads in the sand. I am suggesting that we fill our minds with the influences that empower us.  Take the time to clean house.

2. Let go of the garbage that you are carrying. Reach out to someone you have written off (but still think about), or to someone you’ve given up on or had some problem with. Talk to that person and do what it takes (legally of course) to reach some sort of resolution and put the situation behind you. Ask the other person, “What would it take for us to put this behind us?”  Their input can help you create a solution that works for everyone. By reaching out and having a conversation, you are extending the olive branch. This canc reate a new beginning and trigger conversations and events that can ultimately change your life. Remember: forgiveness is a gift you givey ourself. Make 2010 the year you give that gift. (For more informationon our 7-step procedure on how to forgive and let go of anything, checkout the corresponding chapter in Honesty Works: Real-World Solutions to Common Problems at Work and Home.)

3. Live 2010 with a long-term perspective. Ask yourself these questions: “When I am 90 years old and I look back at 2010, what do I want to say happened? What do I want to say that I accomplished?”  Be clear and honest with yourself about what is important to you in your relationships, in your job, and in your life.This might sound simple, but sadly many people drift year after year and let time pass by without really figuring out what is most important to them. Remember, time is one commodity we can never replenish. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. When you are not sure what to do, think about what your ninety-year-old self would tell you to do in 2010. Then take action. 

4. Stop negotiating things that are not negotiable. Are you suffering because you are being flexible and letting go of your standards and principles that are important to you? Decide what is negotiable vs. what is really not negotiable to you. If you are not clear, how can others be. Then let others know and take a stand. Many people get inspired when boundaries are set because clarity gives them power to focus their time and energy on areas of flexibility.

Click here for Crucial Actions 5-9 to Jump-Start 2010! 

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