As I am sitting here thinking of the next Restart Your Life seminar, I started thinking of all the obstacles one faces when starting something new or dramatically changing the old. Sometimes we make good decisions, sometimes we make bad decisions. We then usually start doubting ourselves. “I shouldn’t have done that.” “I wish I could go back in time and change that.” “I was so stupid. I wish I knew then what I do now, so I wouldn’t have made that mistake.” How many of you reading this blog have you had these or similar thoughts? Admit it. We all do. Especially when things haven’t turned out the way we would have liked them to.

But if we did get a chance to do it over again, would we do it? Should we do it? Ask any person who has achieved something great whether they would have changed their obstacles. What do you think their answer might be? I am reminded of one of my favorite Star Trek episodes (Yes, I am a trekkie…I admit it!), where Captain Picard (Aha! You thought I was going to say Captain Kirk, didn’t you? Yes I grew up with Star Trek: The Next Generation and not the original one) gets a chance to do just that. In movies, you have the poetic license to go back in time. The story goes that as a young Starfleet academy student, Picard was a brash young man who would get into all sorts of trouble. In fact, he picked a fight with an alien twice his size in a bar-room brawl, where the alien throws his spear at Picard, piercing his chest and his heart. As a result, Picard gets an artificial heart. For those who are familiar with the Start Trek characters, a Godlike character by the name of Q gives him a chance to go back and correct one thing he regrets doing in his life. So Picard goes back and does not pick a fight with the alien. However, as a result, in this alternate scenario, he no longer is the Captain of the Enterprise. He tries to find out what he can do to become captain, and he is told that even though he is a hard-working person, he always plays it safe and never takes any chances. In order to become an officer, and certainly to become a captain, he needs to not be afraid of taking chances. Picard realizes that he is who he is because of all that he has done in the past. If you want to know how the episode ends…well…go rent the show.

You might say, well, that is the movies. So, let’s ask Lance Armstrong. He developed cancer. It was only after he was able to beat cancer that he went on to win the Tour de France, the most grueling and punishing bicycle racing sport, not once but seven times. Do you think he would want to go back and change the fact that he developed cancer? Ask many other countless achievers the same question. So I ask you again, if you had to do it over again, would you? Or would you change it? You are who you are as a result of the actions you have taken in your past. You would not have come to the realization unless you had experienced what you have experienced. Failure is as important a stepping stone to your success as success is. Obstacles are the necessary ingredients for growth. You are who you are as a result of your actions: the good, the bad and definitely the ugly. Ask Thomas Edison, the inventor of the light bulb. It is said that he tried 6000 times to invent the light bulb before he was successful. He said that he did not fail 6000 times, but the invention of the light bulb was a 6000-step process.

So, What’s stopping you? Your past failures? Have you been told to stop dreaming and live in the “real world?” Have you been stopped by obstacles? Do you want to restart your life? Are you ready for it? Come and find out what stops you and how to overcome these obstacles. Come and join me this Saturday, May 14  for 2 hours that can dramatically change your life. It’s time to Restart Your Life the right way.

RESTART YOUR LIFE seminar

Saturday, May 14th at 9 AM (doors open at 8:30 AM)

Olympic Collections Conference Center

11301 Olympic Boulevard

FREE! (plus be automatically entered to win an Apple iPad 2!)

Focus.

We all want it, but too often we find our lives; our dreams; our vision a little out of focus.

On Saturday, May 14, I will be launching the new RESTART YOUR LIFE seminar!

Spring is the time to think about making a fresh start and putting your desires back on track.

We all have things that seem to be missing from life – a clear direction; fulfillment of goals; financial security; a great marriage; etc…..the list is endless.  Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Want is a growing giant whom the coat of ‘Have’ was never large enough to cover.”

The universe is perfectly balanced.  Nature is perfectly balanced.  It is only humans whose lives are out of balance.  What we need is to restore our equilibrium.  That has been my passion in my practice of medicine, and the integration of western and eastern medicine is an attempt to create a balance between acute treatment and disease prevention.  Most of the eastern modalities treat patients by attempting to restore the natural homeostasis of the body.  We need to restore the same equilibrium in our lives.  Getting balance is not about adopting new strategies, or learning new methods in order to change our behaviors, it is about creating a balance in our desires and the way we conduct our lives.

Everyone has desires.  I’m not talking about the desire to eat home-made chocolate chip cookies warm from the oven…….although not a terrible desire to have!  I’m talking about the desire you have deep within to live a life that is extraordinary and satisfying.  The desires inside of you are who you are!  These are what give your life meaning.  Often there is a disconnect between these desires and what you consider reality.

Reality is what your life consists of on a daily basis:  work, friends, colleagues you interact with, conversations you have with relatives or strangers, etc…. Reality is what your habits are.  If there is a disconnect with what you desire and what your reality is then you are creating an imbalance – and this is manifested in your life by a sense of dissatisfaction.  Depending on how dissatisfied you are is an indication of how big the imbalance is.  Once you realize you have dissatisfaction in your life – then it’s time for a change.  Time for re-focus.  Time to RESTART YOUR LIFE.

As we begin the transition from March into April, it signals the beginning of itchy eyes, stuffy noses and scratchy throats – all the symptoms of spring allergies!  More and more people seem to suffer sinus and allergy issues and search for herbal and natural remedies from this unwelcome spring guest.

The word allergy did not even exist a century ago, but today, respiratory allergies are the 5th leading chronic disease in the United States.  It has been estimated that 1 in 7 Americans had a respiratory allergy in 1950, but 1 in 4 have one today!

Allergies are exaggerated reactions of the immune system to otherwise harmless allergens.  Normally, the immune system protects us against invading agents that can cause us harm – such as bacteria or viruses – but for people with allergies, the immune system reacts against harmless allergens in the air.

The immune system reacts to protect us by generating large amounts of an antibody that is specific to particular airborne allergens.  This antibody attaches itself to certain cells in the body and the next time it comes in contact wit the allergen, the allergen attaches to the antibody like a key in a lock.  This ‘lock-up’ causes the release of inflammatory substances, such as histamines, into the system. It then moves into various parts of the body to cause symptoms such as runny nose, watery eyes and sneezing.

The allergic symptoms and their severity vary depending on the type of allergen, the part of the body that is affected and the level of sensitivity of the individual to the allergen.  Some of the most common symptoms are: asthma, bronchitis, cyanosis, fever, hay fever, hives, nausea, vomiting and wheezing.  Nasal allergies generally manifest like the common cold or sinusitis.  Food allergies produce nausea, vomiting and skin irritation manifests as hives.

There are different medical techniques to combat allergic reactions in the body.  One is to suppress the immune system with immune-suppressant drugs such as steroids or antihistamine.  Both of these techniques do not address the cause of the problem or provide long term relief.  Another approach is to avoid the allergens as much as possible.

Homeopathy offers a course of action that builds and strengthens the immune system so the body can become self sufficient and fight its own disease conditions.  There have been over 200 clinical trials that have evaluated homeopathic treatments that produce positive results.

Although the most optimal homeopathic treatment is individualized to each person’s own unique situation, there are some homeopathic remedies available in the market that can provide relief without causing significant side effects.

Allium Cepa leads the homeopathic table in treating acute allergic rhinitis.  It is highly recommended for allergy conditions with the following symptoms – frequent sneezing, constant dripping of watery discharge from the nose, and eye issues.  Another highly recommended remedy is Euphrasia, which is especially good for burning, itchy eyes.

There are many different remedies for various types of allergies, but the selection of remedies depends on the individual.  If you are suffering from spring allergies – make an appointment with Deepinder Singh today for evaluation and relief!

The disaster in Japan continues to mount as the country recovers from an earthquake, tsunami and the possibility of nuclear fallout – the effects of which may be felt for generations!  Millions are left with very little hope for relief as food and water become more scarce and a return to a ‘normal’ life seems far away on the horizon.

Watching the news, one thing struck me,  I did not see any looting going on and there were no demands being made by the victims. The Japanese are a resilient people, showing class even in the midst of disaster, showing dignity and support for one another, and remaining calm while waiting in long lines for food. How many of us would have done that in face of such overwhelming and horrible circumstances?

Let us pause for a moment and do a little reflection. This disaster has not affected most of us directly, and we are going about our lives with nary a concern. We watch the news and shake our heads at the pictures of the victims, with a fleeting thought of compassion for those “poor Japanese”, and then go about our business as usual.

But let’s do a little more than that. Pretty soon the media attention will be over but the needs of the victims will still be there. Let’s get in the habit of giving. Many people set aside a portion of their income for charity purposes. As a Sikh, I am charged with setting aside 10% of my income, known as “daswandh,” for charity purposes, to help those who are less fortunate and need our help. Let’s not forget that everyone needs help at some point in their lives. We hope that when and if we need help, someone will be there to lend support. We can prepare as much as we want but unforeseen disasters can occur without warning. We in California recently experienced record breaking rainfall causing some evacuations. A millionaire can suddenly lose it all and become homeless. Many people in this economy have lost their homes to foreclosure. So, let us pause for a moment and do a little reflection and maybe even open our wallets. Maybe we can bypass the line at Starbucks for our daily dose of café latte or vanilla frappucchino for the next few days and help our brothers and sisters in Japan.

If we wait to first become financially stable before we offer any help to someone who needs it desperately, you might be waiting for a long time. But if you get in the habit of saving a percentage of your income, then it does not matter. I do not consider my daswandh as “my” money; it does not belong to me.

Instead of becoming jaded, let us become a little more loving. Instead of having a “scarcity” viewpoint, let us create a “prosperity” consciousness. Let us become a little less selfish and develop more compassion in our hearts. And most of all, let us pause in our daily routine and send a little positive energy towards our fellow humans in need of help, wherever they might be in the world. Let us dedicate a moment of our daily routine to saying a little prayer for them.

You may not know this but March is National Nutrition Month, so I thought about focusing on a topic of nutrition for this week. However, I am going to talk about something that most people would not consider “healthy” or “nutritious.” After all, how many of you will equate “chocolate” with “nutrition”? And especially “weight loss”? Well, let’s destroy some commonly held misconceptions, shall we? But before you open up your secret stash of those Hershey’s Kit-Kat crisp wafers, or those heavenly Caramel filled Lindt milk chocolate bars, mmmm….yummy…(my mouth is already watering)…or those chocolate covered raisins…or….ahem….what was I saying? Oh yes, before you reach for that milk chocolate, let’s see how this food, yes I said “food”, can be healthy for you. I will even provide you with a recipe using chocolate.

While I was researching the topic, I realized that March 24^th is a special day, at least for those of us who love chocolate! It is National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day.

First of all, chocolate is made from plants, more specifically, from the cacao bean. This bean contains flavonoids, nutrients which help protect plants from environmental toxins, acting as “antioxidants.” There are more than 4000 flavonoids found in all different types of foods. It turns out that cacao is actually one of the richest flavonoid-containing foods available. Flavonoids and other antioxidants help the body to resist the damage caused by free radicals, lowering the risk of cancer. The specific types of flavonoid found in chocolate are the Flavanols. In addition to their anti-oxidant effects, flavanols also help to lower blood pressure. They make the platelets less sticky and improve blood flow, lowering the risk of forming blood clots, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The flavonoids in cacao are principally catechin and epicatechin, which are also present in green tea and red wine. In fact, cacao may contain up to four times the amount of anti-oxidants in tea. Apart from its effects in lowering blood pressure and cholesterol, cocoa also stimulates the production of endorphins, the “feel good” chemicals. It contains serotonin, which is a natural antidepressant.

That does not mean that I am giving you free license to eat as much chocolate as you want. First of all, what I have said above applies to the cacao bean, which is best in its raw form. In fact, eating raw chocolate provides the best nutrition and taste. Some of the benefits of the cacao bean are lost in cooking. If you can’t get raw chocolate, the next best thing is dark chocolate. Milk chocolate does not act like an antioxidant. In fact, researchers in Italy have shown that milk may interfere with the absorption of antioxidants from chocolate. So even drinking milk while eating dark chocolate may counter the benefits of eating chocolate. Secondly, the amount of cocoa powder present in chocolates may be quite small. Dark chocolate contains over 65% cacao. Milk chocolate may contain very minuscule amounts of cacao.

Raisins are dried up grapes. It takes 4 ounces of grapes to make one ounce of raisins. They are actually one of the most nutritious dried fruits in the world, containing many nutrients, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and are cholesterol free and fat free. The sweetness of grapes comes primarily from fructose, a natural form of sugar, which is easily digestible and provides quick energy. They have many health benefits, including relief from constipation, bone health, eye health and dental health. They fight against acidity; both potassium and magnesium in raisins acting as antacids. They are also reputed to increase libido and increase arousal. It is one of the best sources of Boron, which is necessary for bone formation and absorption of calcium.

So, now we know the beneficial effects of both cacao and raisins. What better way to celebrate National Chocolate Covered Raisin Day than to eat dark chocolate covered raisins.

How many of us really believe that our environment affects us?

I am sure every one of you reading this will not need to think about the answer. The answer is obvious, or is it?

Let us really reflect on whether we really believe it to be true or not. In this environmentally-conscious time, when there is so much talk about becoming eco friendly, the question is whether we are just paying lip service to this idea or do we really believe it.

I decided to raise this issue at this time because March 14 happens to be a day that has been declared as Sikh Environment Day.

In Sikh history, the 7^th Guru or Spiritual Master of the Sikhs, Guru Har Rai Ji became the 7^th Guru on this day. Guru Har Rai Ji is remembered in Sikh history for his deep sensitivity to nature and its preservation. He was a great humanitarian and maintained an extensive herbal garden for medicinal purposes. He is reported to have said, “Behold, with one hand man breaks flowers and with the other hand offers them, but the flowers perfume both hands alike. The axe cuts the sandal tree, yet the sandal perfumes the axe.” Guru Har Rai Ji taught us to respect our environment, and that is what I would like us to focus on.

If we really believe that the environment affects us, then what are we doing to change our environment? Or are we victims of the environment around us? First, we need to define what we mean by our environment. The dictionary gives us many different definitions. One definition has to do with ecology, the air, water, minerals and all other external factors that affect us. But there are other aspects to the environment too: the social and cultural forces, the people we surround ourselves with, the mental and emotional milieu of our thoughts and desires. It ranges from the macro, global scale all the way to the state of our individual, very private mental micro environment.

If the quality of the air we breathe affects us, what are we doing to change the quality of the air? Yes, we can discuss how to decrease pollution at the macro level, but If we are surrounded by pollution, do we find time to go to a greener place to experience the cleaner environment? For instance, how many times in a week or a month do we actually get up in the early morning hours before the rush of the day starts and go for a walk in our neighborhood park? How often do we go to the mountains or the woods for a hike? We talk about having clean water and engage in the controversies about filtering vs bottled water. But how much water do we actually drink compared to carbonated beverages, coffee, juices, and other sugar-laden drinks? How often do we surround ourselves with people who do not provide us with peace of mind? How often do we have negative thoughts about people, events, work and our homes? How often do we create a positive mental environment that will uplift our spirits?

Let us take this day to reflect on our environment, the environment that we find ourselves in every day. Yes, let’s plant a tree. But let’s also plant a good thought. Let’s help someone less fortunate than us. Let’s be kind to our boss and our subordinate. Let’s cultivate a friendship with someone. Give someone a gift just for the sake of it, just to see the smile on their face. Let’s also plant a good wish for someone who has done bad to us. In the words of the Guru, let’s perfume the hands of those who want to harm the flowery spirit of our self.

How many of you suffer from headaches? How many of you know someone, maybe even intimately, who suffers from headaches? And how many of you would like to get rid of these headaches and resume a normal life? I presume that if you are reading this book, then you have an interest in learning more about headaches and how to manage them properly. You might have an occasional headache or you might have a chronic condition. Or you might be a caregiver or a family member of someone who becomes incapacitated with migraine.

An Uncommon Dialogue

Let us have a conversation about headaches. Instead of being a passive reader I want you to complete the actions outlined at the end of each chapter so that we can help reduce your headaches. After all, if you don’t take action, you will not achieve what you desire. In every decision, the mind battles with itself, to act or not to act, to do or not to do. We will be sharing a lot of information, but to get the most out of this book you will need to act when action is required.

So you think you are healthy?

Headache does not occur in isolation. It is not a disease by itself but rather a symptom of some underlying cause. Headache is, more appropriately, an indication of lack of health. To establish the right context, we need to define what we mean by health. Each individual is a triple manifestation of body, mind and soul. Health is the optimal functioning of this unity of body, mind and soul rather than just an absence of disease. If a person is healthy physically, but not mentally or spiritually, that person is not truly healthy and vice versa. In fact, physical health is just the outward representation of the health of mind and soul. To be truly healthy through different stages of life, one must know how to care for the health of the body, mind and soul, as intended by nature.

Applying this concept to headache requires an understanding of what may be affecting the mind and the spirit that might be causing the headache. It is possible that the cause of a particular headache might be just a medication side-effect or muscle tension in the forehead from squinting in the sun too much. But if you suffer from chronic headaches, it is more likely that your headaches have an underlying cause that can be traced back to your lifestyle.

What is a Headache

Headache is a biological disorder resulting from biochemical changes in the brain. The question then arises, what causes these biochemical changes that lead to headache? The answer depends on who you ask. The International Headache Society (IHS) classifies headache in two broad categories, primary and secondary. According to IHS, primary headaches have no known cause while secondary headaches have an underlying organic pathology or disease.

Headache is Not Brainache

A common misconception among people is that headaches are caused by some type of brain dysfunction. The brain does not cause headaches, in fact, if you were to cut a piece of the brain, there would be no pain. Yes, that is right! The brain itself has no pain receptors. The pain of headache comes from areas in the head that do have pain receptors. These include the coverings of the brain known as meninges, the bones, the blood vessels of the scalp, around and inside the brain, and the muscles of the face and head. According to conventional wisdom, it is the inflammation and pressure on these receptors which result in the headache.

Are All Headaches the Same?

Again, this depends on the definition and the cause. If you define headaches based solely upon symptoms, then there are over 150 different types of headache. As you can see from the classification Chart A, the first distinction that needs to be made is whether the headache is primary or secondary. It is important to note that this first distinction is based mainly upon the symptoms, and the cause is limited to whether there is an underlying organic cause, such as an aneurysm, tumor, infection etc. In cases of primary headaches, the characteristics of the pain determine what type of headache it is, for example, migraine, tension, or cluster.

This is just an excerpt from Dr. Ravinder Singh’s upcoming book on headache’s and headache relief.  Check back for more information and the release date!

January 25 marked the 3^rd anniversary of my father, who passed away at the age of 85. I was thinking of him and decided to write down some of the lessons I learned from him. As a physician I have seen many families, and have had the opportunity to observe interactions of my adult patients with their parents, and as you can imagine, there are many different types of relationships. Some people hold their parents in high regards, and for some there is no relationship. For me, my father was my mentor, my teacher, my pillar of strength, and a wise man who I could turn to for any type of advice. He was a very religious man, well respected in the Sikh community and had earned respect far and wide. He was ever smiling, and always in the best of spirits. He never compromised on his principles and very rarely became angry.

I was only 14 years old when my father experienced his first heart attack. At that time he was in his mid fifties. Medical services in India back then were not as advanced and he remained in the waiting room of the emergency department of a major hospital for over 12 hours in a half-dead state before getting help. When he was finally seen by a physician, he was rushed to the intensive care unit (ICU), and my mother was told that he had suffered a major heart attack and may not survive. My mother did not give up hope and stayed in high spirits, staying by his side throughout his ordeal. Well! He survived, against expectations. My older brother, who at that time had already immigrated to the United States and is a cardiologist, finally convinced my parents and myself to move to the US after his recuperation. In subsequent years, he suffered many physical problems, including a few more heart attacks, cardiac arrest, stroke, congestive heart failure and other physical ailments that come with age. But he never gave in to his illnesses.

My father beat many odds against survival for many years. Most physicians were amazed at his spirit an

d exuberance. With his turban and flowing silver beard, he had an aura of spirituality and calmness that surrounded him. None of his physicians questioned the fact that he had remarkable resilience, and were frequently amazed at his

recuperative resilience. He passed away at the age of 85 after having lived 30 more years since his initial heart attack which he was not expected to survive from.

I attribute his remarkable recovery from his myriad medical issues to his lifestyle, which included meditation as an integralpart. He had been meditating ever since he became a practicing member of the Sikh faith. My experience with my patients and my study on meditation as medicine has proven to me beyond any shadow of a doubt the effectiveness of meditation as an instrument in treating many diseases. I have also witnessed that not only does it help patients with various medical problems; it also enables healthy people to improve their physical, mental, emotional and cognitive health. My father was a living example of living a spiritually aware and fulfilled life.

I hope I can follow in his footsteps and live a life full of purpose like he did.

I bid you a fond farewell with the Sikh greeting Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh.

My hope for you this month is that your heart be warmed as you find time to love yourself and your neighbor.

I have noticed that the concept of seva – loosely translated as “selfless, voluntary service” – is nowadays increasingly wielded as a weapon and less as what it is meant to be. The other day, when a community volunteer was asked why she repeatedly failed to do what she had undertaken to do, why she hadn’t met her obligations fully or in a timely fashion, I was flabbergasted by the response I overheard: “I do seva, , she protested. “I’m not getting paid for this. I spend so many hours here, while I could easily be doing something else. I don’t have to listen to this nonsense: if you don’t want me here, say so, and I’m gone!” On another occasion, I heard a fellow wield the word somewhat differently, but equally effectively. He was addressing members of a community group. “I’m the one who can run this organization and ensure that it stays alive. I’ve done seva for fifteen years … day and night, and weekends too. And haven’t taken a single dollar for my time. How can you even think that another person should come over and run it? Others will simply run it to the ground. And, you know, I’m not going to let you do this. I’m not going to let you turn all my seva into naught!” I felt, as I watched him through this performance, that he was wielding his seva quite deftly… as a weapon. A sword, actually. Is this what seva is all about? Am I wrong in thinking that the moment you use seva … yes, USE it … for any ulterior purpose, then it instantly ceases to be seva? If it loses its spiritual core, then all you’re left with is … a clumsy weapon. The concept of seva, I feel, is simple and uncomplicated in Sikhism. The very idea of seva begins with a metaphor: that of the milk-pot or vessel. The founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak says: First, wash the vessel, Next, disinfect it with incense. Then, and only then, is it ready to receive the milk. The mind, like the vessel, first needs to be cleansed if one is to prepare it for things spiritual. Otherwise, all effort goes to waste. And this cleansing of the mind, the preparation, is done with the “soap” of humility.

So far, all of this is esoteric and philosophical. In seeking humility, There’s a simple, direct and effective way: seva. Just serving the basic needs of those who are in need puts us on the right path. At home, with the neighbors, around the corner, in the community we live in … the concentric circles can get as wide or remain as narrow as the situation demands. Simple: just wash the dishes at the local community kitchen, or serve food,  Anonymity helps. Not wearing a t-shirt or bandana that proclaims “VOLUNTEER”, helps. Doing it without fan-fare, without a pat on the back, is a definite plus. Doing things that others do not want to, or cannot do, is good. Sweeping the floor or cleaning the washrooms is therefore bound to be the most rewarding. It’s for the sheer sake of seva. It has no other goal. Even the end result is not important. You don’t need a smile or a nod, a pat on the shoulder, or the gratitude of another to validate it. You simply do it, and you do it to the best of your ability, and nothing else matters. You don’t go home and note it in your diary. Or tell your family and friends. Or have it published in a newsletter in the “Acknowledgment” section. Don’t let the right hand know what the left hand does …

It isn’t seva if it is for the purpose of getting a tax-deductible receipt.

It isn’t seva if your heart and soul aren’t in it.

It isn’t seva if it isn’t done with honesty and integrity.

It isn’t seva if you believe that mediocrity is all that is expected of you, and that you needn’t do more.

It isn’t seva if it’s for building your resume.

It isn’t seva if it is meant to be a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

It isn’t seva if you need to tell others, now or later, that you did it.

It isn’t seva if lack of appreciation by others, or their criticism, drives you away.

It isn’t seva if you believe that it is your right to do it.

It isn’t seva if you have to fight against others to do it.

It isn’t seva if you snatch it away from another, to do it.

It isn’t seva if you begin to believe you’re the best one to do it. And, it isn’t seva if it distresses you that others take credit for what you’ve done.

And, it is most magical when – and I borrow from Shakespeare -

It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath. It is twice blest: It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

May we all, each one of us, be blessed with this gift.

“An optimist stays up until midnight to see the New Year in.  A pessimist stays up to make sure the old year leaves.”         - Bill Vaughan.

The beginning of the New Year is a time of reflection on what has been and a fresh look at what may be.  There is always room for improvement in many aspects of our lives and no better time to make resolutions than during the new year.

Usually our determination is to quit a bad habit or form a new, good one.  The problem is that good intentions usually do not get us very far unless we minimize our chances of failure.

There is so much hype about the ineffectiveness of New Year’s resolutions that a lot of people decide that it’s just not worth it.  However, it has been shown that those who set specific goals often achieve more in life.  Answer this simple question: ‘Are you ready to do what it takes to make this year the BEST year ever?’  If you are, then it’s time to look at some ways to make the most practical and beneficial resolutions and how to make them successful.

First, we need to decide the motivation behind our changes.  Sometimes we make decisions not because it is something we want, but because other people (society) expect us to be something we are not.  Of course, if we are a few pounds overweight, the ‘society’ response is that we need to lose weight.  The world should is the operative word here…..whenever you should do something, it is usually something that you do not really want to do and your subconscious will work overtime trying to find ways of not doing it.  We make the resolution to join a gym or walk on the treadmill every morning, but we don’t accompany that resolution with any specific goals and we quickly lose our ‘excitement’ for that morning exercise and find more excuse to not go.

Second, I disagree with many professionals who stress that ‘action precedes motivation’.  In my experience, that does not work.  I do believe that the way to achieve anything in life is by taking action, but any plan is destined to fail if the motivation is not there to propel it forward.  So let’s break out of the mold and create some different resolutions that we can keep and feel good about ourselves rather than discourage ourselves because we didn’t get on the treadmill every morning.

I spend a lot of time discussing goal setting and motivation in the RESTART YOUR LIFE seminars.  One of the most important ingredients of motivation is the desire to achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.  If the desire is not strong, you will be easily derailed by any and all distractions.  Let’s say that you have decided to jog every morning and tomorrow you get up and realize that it is raining…..what is your initial reaction? Will you go jogging?  If your desire is strong enough, chances are pretty high that you will stick to your plan and jog no matter what.

(I talk more about how you can achieve your goals and resolutions in the Restart Your Life seminar.  Click here or see below for more information.)

The first and most important step is to make simple, realistic commitments.

Take out a piece of paper and write: “2011 will be the best year of my life.”  Then sign it and put in on your bathroom mirror or in a place you will see it daily.  This is a contract you make with yourself…..the part of your self that wants to succeed.

This decision and commitment is the most important first step, so do it now!!  This little step has the power to help you achieve your goals and dreams.  The next step is to create your goals for 2011.  Take a moment and think about what will make this year the best ever for you.

What dreams do you have that you have been putting off?

Do you want to take a trip or go on vacation this year?

Is it time to get a new car?

Write down specific goals – for example, don’t say ‘I want to lose weight.’  Losing weight doesn’t motivate anyone!!  But if you create a goal of being more healthy in time for your summer vacation, it’ll be much more motivating.

I suggest you set goals in FOUR areas of your life:

Improve your

HEALTH

WEALTH

PERSONAL LIFE

RELATIONSHIPS

Make your goals specific and measurable.

They must be realistic so that you do not set yourself up for failure.

Create a timeline and most importantly, work with someone who can keep you accountable.  Whether it is a friend, a co-worker, a spouse or a coach.

Join me on January 22 for RESTART YOUR LIFE – 9 AM.

Heaven On Earth studio (7122 Beverly Boulevard – behind Starbucks – Los Angeles, CA  90036)

Your spirit will be glad you did!!