Forget resolutions. Write a letter to yourself each year instead.
5 Questions You Should Answer to Help You
Dearest Soulsters,
Happy (and courageous) new year!
And as we kick off 2023, I’d like to share a few statistics:
38.5% of U.S. adults set New Year’s resolutions.
52.6% focus on one resolution, whereas the other 47.4% set multiple ones.
48% want to exercise more, making it the most popular resolution.
Oh, and one more:
Only 9% successfully keep their New Year’s resolutions.
I had the wonderful experience recently of being interviewed by Stephanie Vozza for Fast Company Magazine. And when I got her call, she asked to focus on one - and rather surprising - angle.
She wanted to talk about a concept from the final chapter of the Scare Your Soul book. I wrote:
“Science tells us that the better we visualize our futures, the better the chance will be that we will achieve our goals. Anyone who has developed a five-year business plan or sat with cut‑up magazines constructing a vision board knows how beneficial that work can be.
Call it planning, manifesting, goal setting, priming the law of attraction . . . when we articulate to ourselves the future that we want, we help create our future reality. It’s all true. But I am inviting you to do something even deeper and far more profound.
I invite you to write a letter to yourself that you can open or revisit exactly one year from now.” (Page 240)
This Week’s Challenge: Write a Letter to Yourself
This is a letter that nobody else will see.
It’s not about resolutions; it’s about feelings and values, and it comes from your heart.
Most people have probably never taken the opportunity to write a letter to themselves, but when you do it, magical things start to happen. You start to lead your life according to your own set of goals and wishes that come from within.
Your letter should talk about the year you want to have ahead, and it should answer five questions:
What are the fears you plan to tackle, those things you believe are holding you back?
What are the adventures you will embrace in the year to come?
How will you connect or reconnect with others in your life?
How will you plan to grow?
What can you do to serve others?
Once you write your letter, refer to it over the course of the year. Reading your letter over again will become a key motivator throughout the course of the year. Since it’s personal to you, it will remind you what your key values and goals are.
As I shared so deeply from my heart in the book:
“In The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho wrote, “And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”
Write your letter.
The universe has big ears.
It will listen.”
…
Celebrate the launch of Scare Your Soul: 7 Powerful Principles to Harness Fear and Lead Your Most Courageous Life at Loganberry Books! Enjoy a talk from Scott, a reading, a book signing, and complimentary drinks*.
*Wine + sparkling water to be generously provided Edwins Restaurant. It has been recognized internationally by the James Beard Foundation and others for its commitment to offering “second chances” to people in our community.
Seating will be limited. Please RSVP soon,