The cycle is self-evident at this time of the year as many of us ask ourselves a familiar question: “What is my New Year’s resolution?” Is this the year that whatever has been sitting on my to-do list finally comes off the list and is manifested?

We ring in the New Year often with great expectations and find ourselves in a puddle of disappointment that whatever it was that felt so compelling at midnight on December 31, seems to have fizzled, just like our glass of champagne. The oomph is gone and we are back in the dance with the familiar.

Do we really need to change that much? A more impactful change may come from understanding our why (what drives us) and putting into place non-negotiables to realize our intentions.

So instead of a new resolution, how about we revisit our starting point? We “begin again” all of the time. It’s a phrase that’s often talked about in the practice of meditation, whereupon noticing that you’re no longer in your center, you “begin again” by coming back to whatever you’re using as an anchor. It may be coming back to the breath, a mantra or focusing on a physical sensation in the body. We may have to restart countless times throughout our session and that is the practice. It’s so easy to get drawn into distraction…the future, the past, problem-solving and to-do lists are ever so tempting places to focus our attention. Yet, the magical moment of the practice is when we notice that we’ve been pulled away. And, in that moment, we begin again.

We all go through cycles in our lives when something comes to an end and we are then at that next starting point. It can often seem as though we are standing on the edge of a dark abyss, uncertain as to what lies ahead of us as we stare into the unknown. If we are able to remember why we are facing a new beginning and connect to our purpose and to our why, we have a beautiful opportunity to shine our light into the darkness. When we know what supports us in staying connected to our intention, we are then able to put things in place that help us to stick with it.

I discovered a few years ago that, in order to stay even-keeled and away from the doctor’s office, I needed to do two things every day: get plenty of sleep and meditate. That’s it. Those non-negotiables allow adherence to what’s important to me in the long term, not just at resolution time.

So my advice (if I may be so bold as to offer it) is to find what’s truly important to you and pick just one or two things that allow you to stay the course. Happy exploring and may 2018 be a year of manifestation!

Jayne Robertson, E-RYT 500, is owner and instructor at Desert Yoga Therapy in Rancho Mirage. For more information, visit www.desertyogatherapy.com or call (760) 456.5160. [email protected].