Who does resolutions anymore? Not I!

By Angela Lightfoot

Who does resolutions anymore? Not I! As much as I enjoy the concept of New Year resolutions, they usually have a 14 day expiration for me, just like they do for most of you. But setting attainable and achievable goals have always felt more tangible and realistic to me because I understand that my goals allow me to be a better me. My drive to accomplish my goals is more intentional. While I want to keep this post brief and sweet, I hope My 2023 Goals inspire you to create your own customized and personalized goals for 2023. GOAL 1- Tune into My EmotionsI am an empathic person and have always been sensitive to the feelings of others. I embrace this quality as there is nothing wrong with feeling deeply. As a coach who works with individuals who are managing and often struggling with their mental wellness, it is an ongoing journey to ensure that I keep my emotions under control. Growing up, I always hated that it was easy for me to feel hurt by and for others. But as I grew older, I found that by understanding the reasons behind these feelings and finding healthy ways to release the stress, anxiety, and emotions I was able to free myself. So far, bowling, volleyball, and painting have been added to my list of healthy activities to help me release and allow me to tune into my emotions. If you need help getting in tune, consider hiring a coach- Call me! Goal 2- Explore and Embrace my Creative Side I’m constantly looking for new and different ways to unleash my creativity. I’ve been all over the map, doing things like painting and refinishing furniture. I also work on my she-shed (I just finished the drywall, hardwood floors, and beautiful palm leaf ceiling fan). This year I want to explore more unusual ways to use my creativity. Have you had a chance to listen to my guided meditation on YouTube? Check it out here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b-QZWDYuXxY&t=43s. I have also noticed that helping myself is just as important as helping others! With all these experiences, I plan to take new approaches with creativity that will enable me to connect with God (or Spirit) in new ways. I really enjoy using my creativity to explore new possibilities for creative self-expression, so I’m looking forward to what new possibilities await next! Goal 3- Create Good Habits While Removing the Bad HabitsThe bad and the good are always a pairing, in my opinion, since I need to remove the bad and replace it with the good. I want to get rid of some habits that aren’t so great and create new ones that will help me grow as a person. This includes regular workouts (no more sitting on the floor watching tv), cleaning out my closet by donating/selling things I don’t wear anymore, connecting more to God by reading my bible more regularly, and committing myself to daily devotions. Goal 4- Become a Budget-nistaDid you know that 75% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck? That’s an alarming statistic. Like many people my age, I have student debt and it sometimes consumes my thoughts. This year, I want to budget in a way that allows me to do more fun things while still taking care of my student loan debt and other financial obligations. In our November webinar, The Naughty List 2.0 Combating Holiday Stress, Celia Powell, CPA recommended the following: “Write your vision and make it plan.” She reminded us to manage our finances responsibly and ensure that they align with other goals we have for our futures.” Goal 5- Create a Space Where I can Love Myself More We all claim to love ourselves or parts of ourselves. But what does it really mean to love ourselves in our fullness; the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly? To truly and unapologetically love ourselves, I believe we need to create space for our true and authentic selves to strive, let loose and simply be. By offering support to our body, mind, and spirit, we can develop this space within ourselves to really love the people we are. Join me on January 28th at 3 pm at the Women’s Business Center RVA in Willow Lawn for a workshop, Creating Space to Love Yourself! Register here: https://ritaricks.com/product/creating-space-to-love-yourself/ I pray your 2023 is prosperous and filled with health, wealth (I mean, who doesn’t want more money?) and overall positive vibes. It is a pleasure to have your support and know that Rita and I are always here to help you achieve your goals and dreams while aligning you with your purpose. Save the Date Creating Space to Love Yourself Join me for a powerful and transformational workshop as we “Create Space” to learn to love ourselves! REGISTER TODAY! Learn More!

THOUGHTS BRING THINGS

By Rita Ricks

THOUGHTS BRING THINGS Welcome to this New Year!!! Welcome to another chance to get what you want. Welcome to the opportunity to change your perspective and therefore change your reality. Welcome to hearing, once again, from me that you create your reality based on what you think and what you say. I intend to talk more this year about the LAW OF ATTRACTION and how to get more of what you want. How to release the feeling of lack and adopt a feeling of being surrounded by abundance…in your mind, body, and spirit. I’m excited about this intention because I’ll be creating my life as you’ll be creating yours. On October 29th, 2022, I casually said to my daughter that I should begin looking for a house to buy. She left a message for her realtor that night. I came home and journaled a Dear God letter, describing what I wanted. On October 30th, my daughter and I looked at several neighborhoods, and went into a couple of models, nothing grabbed me, so we called it a day. I wasn’t discouraged. As a matter of fact, I truly believed we would find a new home for me. That evening, she called to say her realtor had sent her a recommendation for a condo less than 10 minutes away from where I was currently living. We drove over, and I liked how the development looked from the outside, but the agent had gone for the day. That night I googled the development and began imagining my living there. On Oct. 31st, the realtor made arrangements for me to see the model, and it was literally what I described in my Dear God letter. I closed on November 5th, 2022. Thoughts bring Things. Focus on the Good Thoughts. You must ask for what you want and believe that it will manifest. Thoughts produce things. And when those thoughts bring you joy and peace, you must act on them. You must believe it will happen, even though you can’t see the How yet. You must imagine what it will feel like once the thought manifests and hold tight to that feeling. How you feel is an indicator of what comes next. Feeling good about the thought will bring more good. Doubting the thought will bring more doubt. If you feel it won’t happen, it won’t. But you can reverse that thinking by listening to your thoughts and acting on those that make you smile. The theme for Rita Ricks LLC this year is PERSEVERE. I will PERSEVERE this year in my quest to manifest more abundance in my mind, body, and spirit. I’d love for you to join me on this journey. Email me – clientservices@ritaricks.com – so we can continue the conversation. Share this blog with others and bring them into the conversation. 2023 totals the number 7, which is a positive sign. There is so much good waiting for you, in this year if you just open your heart space to believe it in order to receive it. Many of you have told me how you want to get away, how you want to attend a beach retreat, and how you want me to let you know the next time. So…The BURN VISION Beach Retreat is January 20, 21, and 22. Remember, you must act on what you feel will bring you joy and peace. Register today to begin transforming your life. BURN/VISION BEACH RETREAT 2023 My prayer for you at the beginning of this year is that you hold tight to the concept that you matter. You are on this planet for a reason. Identifying your purpose is critical, and you already know what it is. You must face your fear and do it anyway because peace and joy are on the other side. Please stay in touch with me. I am Rita…speaking to your Spirit Save the Date Our BURN VISION Retreat is where you want to be. Throughout the weekend, we will guide you, support you, life you listen to you and speak to your spirit. REGISTER TODAY! Learn More!