Four Steps to Dream Big In the New Year

A new year is the perfect time to reconnect to your dreams and set some new goals for yourself.  Last year may not have gone as planned, but this year can be the start of something amazing.  Sometimes you just need believe it is possible.  In order to help you do so, here are four steps to dream big in the new year.

1. Permission To Dream

Give yourself permission to dream.  Schedule in time to be fully present where you visualize your future goals and dreams.  Take time to get really quiet.  You could sit in silence and close your eyes or go outside for a slow walk.  Allow your mind to wander and dream about everything you want to create and make happen your life.  Nothing is too big or too small.  Give yourself permission to let the ideas flow.

2. Journal

After you’ve taken time to dream, grab your journal and write down what came up for you.  Make notes of your ideas and future goals.  Let your creativity spark and flow without interruption.  Now that you have your dreams written down, connect to your feelings.  Journal about how it will make you feel to achieve those goals and live that dream life you just visualized.  Get really clear on that vision by including details as to what you see and hear.  Write it all down in your journal.

3. Self Talk

Next, listen to the words and phrases you are telling yourself.  If you hear yourself speaking negatively for all the reasons why you can’t and shouldn’t even have these dreams, then it’s time to change those thoughts.  When you catch yourself listening to negative voices in your head, stop.  Ask yourself if this statement is really true.  See if you have any evidence to back up these negative beliefs.  Most of the time you won’t.  It’s simply fear trying to keep you in your comfort zone by using negative thoughts to keep you stuck in your current situation.  The first step is to acknowledge when this is happening.

4. Positive Affirmations

The last step is to change the thoughts you’re thinking into positive ones.  When you speak positive thoughts to yourself, you are more likely to accomplish the things you set out to do.  Think of what negative common phrases you use.  Perhaps that’s money doesn’t grow on trees, or who are you to go after such a big goal.  Rewire the negative thoughts with positive ones by using positive affirmations.  Such as, money flows easily to me, I am enough, I am worthy, and my success is inevitable.  Come up with your positive affirmations and feed your mind these thoughts.  As you say these positive affirmations daily, you’ll start to believe them.  These positive thoughts will begin to replace the negative thoughts that have consumed your mind and held you back from going after your goals.

Use these four steps to help you dream big in the new year.  You have so much to look forward to this year.  But you first need to allow yourself to dream.  Start by reconnecting to your dreams by giving yourself permission to do so.  Allow your mind to dream about your future.  Then, journal what you envisioned and write down how achieving those dreams will make you feel.  Next, listen for any negative voices in your head.  Catch them and replace them with positive affirmations.  Repeat these positive affirmations to rewire your thinking and help you to believe it is truly possible to live the life of your dreams.  You deserve an amazing year ahead!