The Tribune

By Christine Carey

A new year usually sparks ideas for change. You’ve been through 365 days of feeling happy about some things, disappointed, frustrated, lonely, unhealthy, and unfulfilled about others. Each year we tend to take account of how we want our lives to be different. So now, in 2016, what will you resolve to change?

I’m going to use the definition of “resolve” to mean “to decide firmly on a course of action”.

You take the first step.

Step 1. Decide what you want to be different. Then what?

Step 2. You think of ways to change your habits. I’ve talked a lot about changing habits over the past few months because this is fundamental to creating different outcomes in life. But guess what the reality is? Just deciding on what you want to be different in 2016 is only half the achievement.

You want to eliminate negative, draining relationships? You want to eat healthier? You want to work towards waking up each day living the way you want? You want to exercise? Guess what – you can! Decide what you want and lay out a step by step plan to get there. You cannot achieve anything unless you know what it takes to get there. Each and every day you need to hold the vision of what you want. Understand how to prioritise your existing tasks. And be relentless. This life is for you and the people in your community. You are a part of a great plan so do your best to understand what your role is. And for goodness sake, stop at nothing to achieve your vision and goals. This year commit to be the best version of yourself. Don’t hold back!

This is a great time to share my most favourite quote with you by Marianne Williamson: “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our Light, not our Darkness, that most frightens us.”

Do you get this? Powerful, powerful, powerful!

We tell our kids from such an early age to “be quite”, “don’t do that”, “be like your brother/sister and sit properly” and so on. But you know what? This dims our Light. Let children live fully as they are and as who they are, so they can grow into beautiful confident adults who let their light shine. In the Bahamas, at least when I was little, we sang the song “This Little Light Of Mine” – “I’m gonna let it shine, this little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”

But how do we shine if we keep being told “No, no, no” or have our spirit crushed by adults who don’t have their lives together?

I implore my community, which stretches much further than the boundaries of the Bahamas, to get your lives together, and “Be the change you want to see,” as Ghandi says. And as Chrissy Love also reinforces, “If each before his doorstep swept, the village would be clean.”

However, you need to hear it, or by whom, the message is always the same; Let’s do what we can to be powerful (in love) beyond measure and take care of ourselves so we can be great examples for our children and have a healthier, happier community.

This is the year Bahamas to top all of the global charts so we can be listed as happiest, wealthiest and healthiest!

• All health content in this article is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.

Christine is a certified holistic health and life coach (www.christine-carey.com), partner at Liquid Nutrition (www.liquidnutrition.com) and Director of Corporate Wellness at 242 Consulting (www.242consulting.com). With over ten years of coaching experience, Ms Carey works with individuals and groups to assess and define their diet and lifestyle goals.