We’re about a day and a half away from another new year and once again many of us will be making resolutions. Some of us will even manage to keep them and others won’t make it past the end of the week.

What’s the difference?

First, negative resolutions are a bad idea. For example, I won’t smoke, drink, eat cookies, and other vows that are phrased as things I won’t do.

The problem?

Not doing something takes up no time , energy, or attention. These are passive non-accomplishments at which you can only fail, never succeed.

If you want to be successful, then resolve to do something, something specific that you can measure and track.

Don’t resolve to lose weight. That’s meaningless. But resolving to lose 12 pounds by May 15 lets you make a plan and track how you are doing and adjust accordingly.

Don’t resolve to quit drinking either. That’s another doomed enterprise and once you take that first drink everything goes out the window, including you, along with your resolution.

Instead, resolve to do things that aren’t compatible with drinking. I will do xxxx during the time I normally start drinking. Pick something you like, or might like, and invest what you’re now spending on alcohol, and see what happens.

Nine years ago when I decided to lose the weight I’d gained after I quit smoking some years before that, I used the money I’d saved on cigarettes to join a gym and pay for a trainer. Because I invested in myself and the process I was successful and in 6 months I accomplished far more than I ever imagined in terms of weight loss, improved health, better moods, and a better life.

And yes, I still make it to the gym two or three times most weeks and the weight has stayed off and the other benefits have continued.

How much have you spent on alcohol over the past few years, and how much will you spend this year? Most of our clients find that the cost of our help, $8,750, is recovered in less than a year.

Working with us is also an investment in doing stuff. It’s about expanding your life, not contracting it.

Here’s a better resolution, we think: between now and the end of 2013 I will do the things that make alcohol an unnecessary part of my life.

These include?

That’s where we come in:

In less than a week we’ll help you answer that question;

In less than a month we’ll help you can begin reshaping your life;

In 3 months we’ll help you to begin feeling comfortable with your improved life;

And in a year you will be wondering why you waited so long and you’ll never need us, AA, or alcohol ever again.

You Can Start by Reviewing
Our Expanded Program Description,
Then….
Ready? Set? Call!

Toll Free From Across the U.S. or Canada: 888-541-6350
Internationally or in the Los Angeles Area: 760-580-5758

Sherlock Holmes, the original, not the current TV ad

The Sunday New York Times recently had an article on Sherlock Holmes, Mindfulness, and Improving Your Brain and your life, that’s worth clicking on and reading.

As those of you who read the classic, Sherlock used his brain power, not his feet, to solve mysteries. When he was bored he also tended to indulge in a certain 7% solution.

Note the “when he was bored” part.

We often note that our clients are smart, competent, successful, and engaged people who run into trouble when bored, lonely, anxious, and so on. But for most of us the problems ease when we are engaged.

In other words, we fall into that group of people whose tendencies run towards either being productive or self-destructive. We don’t have a lot of middle ground and the average person, who goes through life on “cruise control”, has nothing in common with us.

We spend a lot of time with you sorting out how to be productive, creative, engaged, and healthy. And we give permission to create your own unique life without regard to “shoulds” and “musts” and, yes, we also grant absolution for past mistakes if you want it.

If you want a lesson in how NOT to accomplish this, watch an episode or two of Elementary, the newest TV ad for AA, wherein everything in AA that destroys bright, creative, and engaged people is trotted out as the only salvation.

Disappointing, but hardly surprising since Hollywood panders to the lowest common denominator and you can’t get much lower than AA.

Remember, keep your eye on Sherlock the original and you won’t go far wrong. For personally applicable details, see us.