The New Year is a time of new beginnings. The Earth is quiet and dormant, but underneath the surface, under the soil, seeds of great change are in motion, preparing to burst forth in full bloom.

In the bookstores, they call this season “New Year, New You.” It’s a time when people make resolutions, and attempt to improve their lives. Many resolutions fail, and many become cynical about their attempts. There are many people, however, who make life-changing decisions and new habits in this month of January. It’s up to you.

We can start by asking ourselves some questions: Are you happy with your life? What would you want to change? How can you go about making those changes?

These are questions worth asking! I remember very clearly when I was a frustrated poverty case, and I wanted more emotional stability, more peace in my life, and I wanted more income, more financial security as well. The two seemed intertwined; my financial situation caused so much struggle and frustration.

How did I make the changes I made? I’ll try to explain it as simply as possible; I’ll try to give away the essence of what I know:

I finally came to understand at some point that it all came down to my deep inner beliefs about myself, my life, and my world. I believed, when I was honest with myself, that life was a struggle, and having a state of peacefulness within was an impossibly distant goal. I deeply believed that it was hard to succeed, it required hard work to make money, and even when I made some I blew it immediately. It seemed obvious that I had no control over money — just as I had no control over my emotions — and I was destined to always struggle financially and emotionally.

Just becoming aware of these old beliefs means you’re halfway there, because once you’re aware of your beliefs, you can choose to change them. I changed my old beliefs by creating affirmations of the new beliefs I wanted, and repeating them several thousand times over the next few years. The results were phenomenal.

Old limiting beliefs: It’s all such a struggle; my life is so busy and stressful; and it’s so hard to succeed. So few succeed — only those that are really talented or bright. I don’t really understand money anyway. I’m incapable of making lots of money — and if I did somehow, I’d blow it anyway.

New beliefs: I do what I love and am well rewarded for it. Money comes to me, easily and effortlessly. I live in abundance; all my needs are easily filled. Money is a great blessing in my life, for I am able to contribute to the well-being of not only myself but so many others as well, all over the world.

I am sensible and in control of my finances. Understanding money is simple: I make far more than I spend. I am creating total financial success, in an easy and relaxed manner, a healthy and positive way, and it still leaves me all the time I want or need for my creative life, my spiritual life, and my family and friends.

My creativity knows no limits. My family life and spiritual life are sources of grace, ease, and lightness.

Let go of the old; bring in the new! How did I get out of the limiting old beliefs and into the expansive new ones? Just by affirming, several thousand times:

I am sensible and in control of my finances. I am creating total financial success, in an easy and relaxed manner, a healthy and positive way.

And I need comes to me, easily and effortlessly.

Every day in every way, I am getting better and better.

Whenever you find yourself thinking This is hard, this is stressful, it’s not working — or whatever your particular habitual thought patterns are — say to yourself, vehemently, No! Delete that! I am now creating the life of my dreams, in an easy and relaxed manner, a healthy and positive way. Find the affirmation that works for you, and use it to create new thought patterns that will, over time, become more habitual than the old thought patterns. Those old habitual thoughts eventually fade, and you find your life and even the whole world changes dramatically.

Make a New Year’s resolution to find the affirmations that are right for you, and repeat them a few hundred times and see what happens. Remember especially to repeat them when all those old doubts and fears arise.

I keep hearing miracle story after miracle story of what happens when someone repeats an affirmation that is right for them — worded in a way that causes their subconscious mind to say YES to it. Once that happens, our subconscious mind — or the universe, or God, or whatever you want to call it — working in its ever-mysterious ways, creates the necessary forces that allow us to bring our dreams into reality.

Of course you need to build your castles in the air — that’s where they should be. Then you build the foundations under them. — Henry David Thoreau