It's a new year. A symbolic time for us to begin again. As one of my insightful teachers has said, there's always more to come and we can always begin again.

What are your goals for 2013? Are you looking to completely overhaul your life? Change careers? Lose weight? Get healthier and more fit? Find and create more meaningful connections with people in your life?

It's easy to get overwhelmed when trying to make big changes. It is so important to take baby steps. You can't expect change to happen overnight. We often fail at our New Year's resolutions because we go from eating cookies by the dozen and hanging out on the couch for hours, to completely depriving ourselves of food we love and trying to run for 30 minutes a day. Making snap decisions about relationships, career or other things can be a mistake too. Patience, careful consideration, planning and support are key to successfully creating the life you want.

Think of what goes into constructing a new house. You consider carefully the location, what you need, what you want, what you can afford. Perhaps you make blueprints, plans. Then step by step, you build a foundation, the shell, and add on piece by piece. It can take 6 months to a year to build a new house.

Consider that it might take you 6 months to a year to make the changes you want to make in your life. But don't give up! Have patience and compassion for yourself. You can do it. But true transformation is usually slow. Transitions and change can create feelings of stress and despair, which is why we sometimes have the overwhelmning urge to throw in the towel. What can you do to get through it?

A key factor in successful change is often support. You aren't alone. In fact, we are all connected in more ways than just one. Especially within your circle of family and friends, it's quite possible that if one of you is suffering, the others suffer to a degree as well. So lean on each other! Be a positive support! It can be hard to ask for help. But reaching out is a sign of strength, not weakness!

Whether you call a friend, a sibling, or significant other in your life, recognize when you need a hug, an ear to listen, or any other kind of support.

If you're looking to reduce stress, improve your eating habits and make a happier life for yourself, but don't know where to start, I can help. Send me a message and we can chat on the phone - a no-obligation consult - to see if I can help you reach your goals for 2013!

Remember to always be patient and compassionate with yourself..and may you have the happiest year ever!