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For awhile now, I’ve talked about how the five elements are a fractal. In short, this means that the flow of energy of the five elements applies to everything. Lets see how it applies to new year’s resolutions and how this knowledge can help us overcome potential pitfalls.
As a reminder, here’s how the five elements flow:
Water:
All ideas are born from water just like all life is born from water. We grow in the water that is our mother’s amniotic fluid, yes? The water element represents the truth and thus it is confronting this truth that we get our new year’s resolutions.
Example – Stay Fit and Healthy (note: I got this example by googling “most common new year’s resolution”) A person would decide on this new year’s resolution by facing reality. This might happen by looking in the mirror and deciding they were overweight, or by putting on a pair of pants and having them be too tight. Of course there are a myriad of ways to determine this.
Wood:
After gestating on the idea, the energy flows into the wood element. Wood energy is fast, strong, and excitable. It is represented by the energy it takes for a seed to burst open with life, or a baby coming out of the womb.
Example – It takes a lot of energy to go to the gym and sign up for a membership, or whatever your exercise of choice is. This energy can typically carry through the first couple of weeks as excitement and anticipation of reaching your goal.
Fire:
After the excitement wears off, fire energy takes over with its passion. For fire energy to flourish, there needs to be a reason and that reason is typically love or fun in some form. This is probably where most new year’s resolutions fall off. What are you doing it for? Who are you doing it for?
Example – Is there a special someone you are trying to get in shape for? Maybe you just love playing basketball and it keeps you going to pick-up games. Find your reason and you’ll keep the passion going. Without it, the resolution is doomed to fail.
Earth:
As you push through the tough days you cling to that reason for keeping going. At some point, the energy flows into the earth and you’re able to reap the reward for your effort. Getting this reward can be essential as it will help turn the resolution into positive emotion and eventual lifestyle change.
Example – You’ve worked out for two months or so, look slimmer, feel healthier, and suddenly people are telling you that you look great. This feeds the soul and enables you to keep going. The pitfall here is if people don’t notice or say the opposite. Encouragement goes a long way. If it is your spouse who is working out – compliment them. Leaving out these words of encouragement can work against their process.
Metal:
After hitting your goal, we tend to fall off the wagon. We’ve made it! Reflecting on what worked and having faith in the maintenance of it all is also critical. Why did it work? If you didn’t reach your goal, why didn’t it work? There’s no reason you can’t start again with a new goal. The year isn’t over!
Example – If that special someone still isn’t noticing you, maybe you’re going after the wrong person. That doesn’t mean you need to stop working out. Without reflection, we’re doomed to stop after one go around.
Make your goal – reach it – evaluate it – make another goal – keep going!
Good luck in the new year!