In Part One we discussed the challenges of the festive season and the choices we make in dealing with them.

To know where you want to be at the end of next year, you first need to know where you are now by reflecting on the past year.

Reflect about the different facets of your life: Work, money, romance, relationships, health, personal development, play and home environment.

Thinking about these facets one by one, ask yourself:

• What were the highlights?
• What were the lows?
• What do I want to happen next year?
• How can I be better next year?
• What could I start doing to succeed?
• What could I stop doing to succeed?

To get ahead despite external circumstances is to create stability within you, in your own life. Take response-ability for your life. People who are successful no matter what the external circumstances are, have a winning formula:

• Know what you want. You cannot hit a target if you don’t have one.li>
• Take action.
• Notice what results you get.
• Have the flexibility to change your actions to stay on track.

It’s crucial to maintain a positive focus. Whatever the mind dwells upon, manifests or happens. The mind and body are one system, which means they affect each other directly. For example, when you think negative thoughts the body feels heavy. Also, when you have a throbbing headache for instance, don’t you tend to see the world negatively?

To boost positive thought, you need to engage the mind and the body.

• Think about what you want, not what you don’t want.
• Focus on your goals. Make a movie in your head and play the movie at least once per day.
• Take action on your goals. Completing your goals will give you a sense of achievement.
• Exercise relieves stress and releases endorphins giving you a sense of well-being.
• Affirmations – repeat positive statements in the present tense as if already true to train your mind to think positively. Action your affirmations to integrate them in your being.
• Gratitude – when you wake up and before you go to bed, name all the things you are grateful for.

In Part Three (next week) we will look at how to ensure success.

About Dina Dina Marais is the founder of CoachingSelf.com, which offers affordable online personal development courses with step by step guide and ongoing support to help you achieve success in all areas of your life. For more information visit www.coachingself.com