The New Year’s Resolution that will transform 2019

It’s well known that few people succeed with their New Year’s Resolutions.

(One statistic even reports that a whopping 80% of New Year’s Resolutions are broken by February!)

I’m no psychologist, but there are lots of reasons why this happens.

Part of it has to do with people’s different personalities. After all, some of us are internally motivated and have no problem achieving our goals; others of us need outer accountability and community to keep us going.

Other times, it has to do with trying to change too many habits at once … like trying to exercise every day even though you’ve never kept a consistent exercise schedule before.

But I’d like to propose another reason why most people aren’t successful with their New Year’s Resolutions.

Why Many New Year’s Resolutions Fail

In my opinion, many New Year’s Resolutions fail because of one thing.

Quite often, the resolutions are trying to change the surface without addressing the underlying issues.

Let’s take the most common New Year’s resolutions as an example.

According to one poll of a group of Americans, the most common resolutions for 2018 are to:

1. Eat healthier
2. Get more exercise, and
3. Save more money.

And when we go deeper, we see why these are hard resolutions to keep.

If I’m trying to eat healthier, for instance, I first have to ask … what are the real reasons behind my unhealthy eating habits? More and more, researchers are saying stress is a very important factor.

Let’s take number three, saving money. Why do people make out of control impulse purchases in the first place? This one also has a lot to do with stress.

What about exercise?

Well, there’s an irony here. We know that the proper amount of exercise reduces stress. However, many people are reluctant to do it because for them, exercise increases stress. So stress, and improper exercise that increases stress, is still a reason people don’t get out to exercise. (For more on this topic, I suggest John Douillard’s book Mind, Body, Sport.)

However you look at it, stress is a big factor keeping us from succeeding with our desires and resolutions in life.

Quite often, the resolutions are trying to change the surface without addressing the underlying issues.

 

Resolution Saver #1

Address the Deep-Rooted Stresses

 

If stress is the underlying factor controlling so many of our behaviours, then it’s clear we should be doing everything we can to reduce it – or even eliminate it – from our lives.

And a highly effective way to do this is to learn Transcendental Meditation and its advanced programmes.

There are many, many ways that TM reduces stress and benefits your life. (This page unpacks the research.)

So if you want to reduce stress in order to support your other desires, learning and practising TM regularly is the first thing you should do.

But let’s say you’ve already learned TM and perhaps some of the Advanced Techniques, and you want to reduce your stress even further.

Are there other powerful ways to do this? Absolutely.

Resolution Saver #2

Meditate with Other People

Once you learn TM, one of the best things you can do to further reduce your stress is to meditate with other people.

When you meditate in a group, the experience is much more profound. It brings you much closer together, even if you’ve never met before. And this, too, reduces your stress levels enormously.

To find a group, contact your local TM Teacher, and let them know you’d like to join the next group meditation. They’ll be happy to help you.

You can also check out TM Together, an exciting new initiative that’s all about bringing together large groups of younger meditators.

If you happen to be from Belgium, Holland, or Germany, you can also join us for one of our retreats at MERU – weekends dedicated to cultivating deeper experiences, all led by a certified TM Teacher, hosted at our academy in the south of the Netherlands.

If you don’t live nearby other meditators and are eager to meditate, you can check out the Facebook group TM Together – International, where members sometimes post information about virtual group meditations.

No matter where you are in the world, you’re bound to find others to meditate with. And I think you’ll find it makes practising TM even more enjoyable.

Resolution Saver #3

Investigate AyurVeda

 

Another powerful way to reduce stress and support the resolutions you’re making for the year is to investigate Maharishi AyurVeda, a consciousness-based and preventative approach to medicine.

There are many resources to learn more about the theory and practice of AyurVeda.

If you’re just starting out, I’d recommend reading the fantastic book by integrative neurologist Dr Kulreet Chaudhary, The Prime: Prepare and repair your body for spontaneous weight loss. In the book, Chaudhary discusses the relationship between stress, toxins, and habits – and offers a thorough roadmap for getting your whole system back on track.

Or, if you’re ready for an even more dramatic transformation, you can look for Pancha Karma and other treatments at a nearby Maharishi AyurVeda clinic, such as the clinic at MERU. All treatment plans begin with a consultation, to ensure you will have a safe and supportive experience.

This consciousness-based approach to medicine allows you to change your behaviours naturally and effortlessly, without the strain on your part.

Resolution Saver #4

Take a Knowledge Course

 

Yet another option to be more successful in your life goals is to explore the beautiful knowledge of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Transcendental Meditation Programme.

Maharishi developed programmes to improve all aspects of life, from the preventative health care system I described above, to architecture, to education, to music, to planning and predicting trends in your life.

This is one of our main goals at MERU: to offer this knowledge in its most authentic form, meaning that you can also experience it for yourself, first-hand.

Since rest and group meditation are an important part of every course, you experience an enormous reduction in stress during the course itself.

A few of the knowledge courses you can enjoy at MERU in 2019 are:

• Deepening your meditation practice through instruction in Advanced Techniques and the TM-Sidhi Programme

• Developing yourself and reflecting on your life direction with one of the beloved leaders within the TM Organisation, Raja Luis Alvarez

• Improving your daily routine through Maharishi Marma Therapy, Maharishi Aroma Therapy, and other areas of Maharishi AyurVeda

• Using music to support your internal circadian rhythms and learning to make this music for yourself and others

• Bringing balance and order to yourself and your community through the way you build and arrange your home

• And learning about a fascinating system of prediction and transformation to support your endeavors

This is just a preview of the courses and events we’re offering in 2019 to help you reduce stress and ultimately, enjoy your life more. To see all our events, visit our event overview here.

Of course, there are many other ways to reduce stress.

Naturally, a system that takes advantage of the remarkable benefits of TM as well as modern psychology is going to be the most effective of all.

But whatever you resolve to do in 2019, don’t make it too hard for yourself.

Identify ways you can address the underlying cause that’s keeping you from meeting your goals, and do whatever you can to address resolutions on this level.

I promise you your resolutions are going to be much more effective.

Rebekah Mays is from the United States and has lived in four different countries including the Czech Republic, France, and now the Netherlands. She has spent the past several years working in education, communications, and marketing, and is thrilled to be working as MERU’s Content Director.

Her aim is to help make Maharishi’s vast knowledge more accessible to people from all countries, ages, and backgrounds.