It’s not too late! Even if you’ve already blown your resolutions, it’s still only January so there is plenty of time left to knock this year out of the park. If you truly want this year to be different from all of the previous years, however; you will need to think and act differently than you ever have before. We’ve all heard that the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting a different outcome–and yet how many of us fall into the same old routines and habits day after day, month after month, year after year?

Well the time has come to KNOCK IT OFF. You say that you want things to be different in your life so…let’s make them DIFFERENT. Implement these 10 trusted life coaching strategies now and next year at this time you’ll be able to look back with pride and gratitude at all of the FabYOUlous things that you accomplished in 2016. Let’s get started…

1.) Build up your confidence! You are FabYOUlous! Seriously–you really, truly are–we all are in our own unique ways. Commit right now to making 2016 the year that you embrace your FabYOUlousness and rock your confidence. You have so much to offer and the world is just waiting for you to do your thing…whatever that thing is. Make this the year that you dig deeper by setting goals that are bigger and more interesting. Do things that will surprise others (and maybe even yourself!) and let your light shine.  This is YOUR year!

2.) Fake it if you need to. Re-read the first entry because confidence truly is key when it comes to creating your most FabYOUlous year yet. However; during those times when your confidence is lagging, it is absolutely fine to fake it a bit. Take a look at the people you admire. What characteristics or qualities do they have that you want to develop in your own life? Even if those qualities aren’t yet fully formed in your life, you can still start acting like they are. Just like smiling when you’re in a bad mood can truly lift your spirits, acting like you’re more confident, generous, loving etc. can help you to actually become those things more quickly until pretty soon–you no longer have to fake it.

3.) Raise the bar. Depending upon the environment in which you were raised, you no doubt have certain expectations of what your life will be like. Our upbringings train us to expect certain things as we grow into adulthood. This is most evident in regard to the amount of money we make, the type of home/neighborhood we live in and the quality of our relationships. Learn to identify the areas of life where you have conformed to these preconceived notions and then decide where you want to break free and move to the next level. Visualize the life that you’d like to have and then set some strategic goals to help you make that visualization into a reality. 2016 needs to be the year that you raise your expectations of what is possible for your life.

4.) Take yourself seriously. When looking at the changes that you want to make in your life, be sure to decide that those changes are for life not just for 2016. What do you really want your life to look like? Where do you want to live? What do you want to do professionally? Who do you want to spend your time with? What would you do if you knew that you absolutely would not fail? Spend some time seriously contemplating these questions. Take a notebook with you and go for coffee at your favorite coffee shop. Write down everything that you really, really want. I mean really, really want. Once you’ve come up with about 30 items, circle the 10 items that are the most important to you and write down one action step that you will take in the next week to move forward on each of those 10 items. This is the year for you to make strides towards your most FabYOUlous life so that means getting serious and taking action.

5.) Don’t tell everyone. There is advice being passed around that says that you should tell everyone you see about your goals and vision for your life. The premise behind this is that by telling people what you want to do, you’ll be more compelled to actually do it. While it is good advice to have an accountability group in place to help keep you on track for your goals–it is not necessarily helpful to tell everyone about the dreams that you have for your life. Our hopes, dreams and goals are extremely precious and fragile. That being the case, they should be handled very carefully. Sometimes even the people who love you the most can be the biggest hindrance to your progress because they don’t understand just how important your dreams are to you. They may tell you that they are only looking out for you because they love you and don’t want to see you get hurt or be disappointed but really, they don’t want to see you step outside of the role that they are comfortable with you filling. Sure, they may legitimately have concerns and truly only want the best for you, they simply don’t have a real understanding of what that is.  Instead, you should only share your FabYOUlous life plans with those who genuinely understand that the best thing for you is to follow your passions and those who can be supportive of that endeavor.

6.) Embrace Failure. Have you ever observed a little one learning how to walk? They fall down…a lot. And yet, despite falling down over and over again on their cute little diapered tushies, most little ones eventually learn to walk and then run, then skateboard etc. They don’t let the experience of falling down keep  them down or quell their desire to walk. We must be the same way. We must understand that failure is simply one more step on the road to success. Just take a look at any powerful individual who is living a FabYOUlous life–I guarantee that they have experienced failure.The important thing to remember about failure is that it is not personal. Just because one of your ideas fails or something that you attempt fails, does not mean that you are a failure. You’re only a failure if you allow failure to defeat you rather than allowing it to teach you.

7.) Get help when you need it. You do not have to go it alone as you pursue your most FabYOUlous year and life. In fact, truth be told–you shouldn’t  go it alone. There are people out there who are already doing the things that you want to do–find them and learn from them. If you are needing help with sticking to your plans, find someone who will lovingly yet firmly hold you accountable. If you need help discovering your purpose, hire a life coach. If you are struggling emotionally, find a competent therapist. If you can’t seem to balance your books, hire an accountant. Getting help does not mean that you are weak–it means that you are smart. No one is good at everything. Increase your chances of success by finding others who can help you compensate for the areas where you struggle. This will leave you the time and energy to rock the areas in which you are naturally strong.

8.) Look the part. Sure, sometimes there is nothing better than lounging around in your jammies all day with your hair a mess and no make-up on. Those are the days when Netflix takes over and tubs of ice cream are devoured. We all need days like that…occasionally. If you truly want to make a change in your life however;  you can start by getting dressed, throwing on some lipstick and showing up to do the work that needs to be done. I’ve learned that even when I am working from home, I am far more productive if I have taken the time to put myself together. Something about looking the part makes me want to act the part and acting the part eventually leads to me no longer needing to act (see #2)

9.) Think positive. You have a mission. A fully FabYOUlous life is at stake here. Do not allow your mind to wander down rabbit holes of doubt or discouragement. Will there be difficult days? Yes. Don’t let those days get to you though. Strive to ensure that you are thinking high quality thoughts that lift you up, inspire you and empower you to move forward with your goals. Forbid yourself from wallowing in negativity. At the very least, on the very, very hard days, consciously restrict your negative thinking to a contained period of time. Allow yourself five to ten minutes of misery but then cut it off and refocus your thoughts on all of the good and positive things happening in your life. Positive thoughts really do lead to a positive life.

10.) Enjoy your life right NOW.  Even as you set your goals and work towards your most FabYOUlous life, it is so important that you don’t make the mistake of not appreciating the here and now. Give yourself a pat on the back for all of the amazing things that you have accomplished over the past year. Express gratitude for all of the amazing blessings that you have in your life right now. Make a habit of celebrating your small successes along the way to your BIG success. Success breeds success but only if it is recognized and acknowledged. Don’t get so caught up in your destination that you forget to enjoy the journey. Every second of every day is a gift–be sure to savor and show appreciation for that gift.

Kudos to you for wanting to make 2016 the most FabYOUlous year of your life. Implementing these 10 tips will help to ensure that come next January you’ll be looking back on a great year and making even bigger plans for 2017.