4 Simple Ways To Transform Your Year (and Your Life)

At times, making changes, you would like to see in life feels virtually impossible. It requires motivation to step out of your comfort zone and make significant changes to transform your life.

Nearly every year, we watch some version of A Christmas Carol. Chances are you have too.

There is an absolute joy in watching Ebenezer Scrooge see the error in his ways and make amends at the movie's end.

Those he had wronged in life showed grace and class by forgiving him in the end.

The story follows Scrooge on three adventures of self-exploration, with the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

What he learns in each place is something we can all use.

If you want to start next year out right, these shifts can be your start to a happier, healthier life.

1. Listen to Your Intuition—Women like to think of life as linear and rational. But more often than not, women make blind decisions based on what they see at the time. But what if you started following intuition more often than intellect? Sometimes, the right choice is the one we do not fully appreciate at the time. Intuition may lead you down a path you least expected, but that can transform your life in sensational ways. Worry less about connecting all the dots. Spend more time riding the wave.

2. Recognize Your Why—You want to make shifts but find that you have yet to make it happen time after time. One reason for this is that you do not know why you want to shift. Or you do know why, but you concentrate on how difficult it will be to create the transformation.

Visiting the past is to help us realize what happened and learn from it. But do not dwell there. We cannot change anything.

Look at your big goal. Ask yourself why you would like it. Does it open up time in your day? Will it make you healthier? Can it make your retirement more secure? When the answer is yes, keep your thoughts on how much better your life will be when you have made the change. And then take action. Always begin with your "why."

3. Take Action— Considering the present, we see the situation those past actions have created (good or bad). We need to decide if this is where we want to stay. Often, women wait until the right time to do something meaningful. For this reason, many have regrets later. What do you genuinely want? If you can answer that question automatically, it is past the time to take action. Any action. It does not have to be the right action. Taking the first step leads you to discover the right next steps to lead you to where you want to go.

4. Stay Shortsighted— The Future view is where we will be if we change nothing. Yet, it is not set in stone. You can start changing your outcomes, and you can start today. Have you ever thought you would enjoy making a significant change in your life but then talked yourself out of it? If women look too far into the future, they can get overwhelmed and do nothing. Ask yourself what the first step to making that shift is. Then, what is the next step after that? And then the next step. Most successful women did not know where exactly they would end up. They just realized they needed to transform their lives, so they did, one step at a time. Do not let the fear of the unknown future steal your happiness today by keeping you paralyzed.

Scrooge returned from those three visits and immediately changed his actions, demeanor, and outlook.

When women look at their past, present, and future, it can be enlightening.

The path may be apparent for many of us, and the future looks bright.

For most women, there are always some things that can be tweaked. Sometimes even significant changes are necessary.

I can always fight harder against workaholism and start standing firmer for what I believe.

For you, it may be something else.

The next time you watch Scrooge, think about what you can do to modify your life based on where you once were, where you now are, and where you want to go.

I wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!