Do you make New Year’s Resolutions the same way you make birthday wishes? Someone puts a cake in front of you with candles, and in the moment you feel inspired to make a wish. You blow out the candles, everybody cheers, and the next thing you know you’re eating cake and laughing with your friends. Your birthday wish is gone from your mind, and the next day it may even be completely forgotten. Many people are cynical about New Year’s Resolutions. When asked about it, they might respond with a cursory, “I don’t make resolutions, they don’t work.” Even the phrase “New Year’s Resolution” is off-putting to them. When people feel this way, I believe it’s because they haven’t had the experience of ending the year with the amazing feeling of accomplishment. They weren’t prepared to stick with their resolutions and see the incredible results that come with a little planning and persistence. Laziness is not the culprit! I think the reason people don’t follow through with their goals is because they have not set up a plan for following through, and they don’t know how to find their inspiration for those days when it spontaneously vanishes. Having a method to rekindle our enthusiasm and stay on track would ensure at least some forward momentum on our goals. I’m offering a brand new course about New Year’s Resolutions, and it’s all about getting your year started off right. The course is called Getting Started, Staying Started, and it’s designed to help you focus on what matters most and hone in on the areas in which you’re ready to make a positive change. And even more importantly: How to fuel your own enthusiasm throughout the year, so you stay on-track instead of giving into cynicism. Is this really the time to make resolutions for the new year? Yes. Absolutely! Let’s not wait until the big countdown at 11:59 on December 31st when to decide on a whim what we want our next year to be about. We’ll look at how to choose purposeful, inspiring resolutions, and more importantly, how to stick with them. What gives one person staying-power, while another falls off the wagon by February? How do you maintain enthusiasm? In this 3-week course, we’ll use journaling techniques to lay a foundation for a year of motivation and month-to-month examination of progress. We’ll find out what fuels your passion and how to tap into it when the inevitable plateau comes along. You’ll be equipped with The Journal-Writer’s Guide to Staying Started, the companion workbook which offers writing assignments, insightful activities, and a very simple-but-powerful system for staying on-track with your goals. This workbook is included in the tuition for the course, but also sold separately from my website at $19.97 each. Learn more about the course and sign up HERE. I really enjoy working with those who see a great opportunity and take inspired action, so if you register in the next 48 hours, using the code WriteON, you will receive a 25% discount. I look forward to working with you!

Mark your calendars for January 12th 2014. Don’t miss the Journaling Expo! This is a teleseminar designed to help you get even more connected with your passion for writing, and it’s jam-packed with journaling tips, exercises, inspiration, free gifts, and more. I’m honored to be featured among three other outstanding guest speakers, including top-notch journaling coaches from around the world.

Here is the lineup:

Mari L. McCarthy of CreateWriteNow is this year’s primary sponsor, host and coordinator of the event. A famously ambidextrous journaling coach with an amazing story, Mari is often referred to as the “Oprah Winfrey of Therapeutic Writing.” I enjoy the many resources she shares to “Power Up” your life with the tools of journaling. Mari made a guest appearance in Episode #3 of my podcast (listen HERE).

Hannah Braime, is the author of several books, including From Coping to Thriving and The Ultimate Guide to Journaling. Hannah also hosts a podcast entitled “Become Who You Are,” about happiness and effective life strategies. Hannah is a natural with discussing topics such as finding meaning, purpose, validation and passion in life; all of which all incredible benefits of journal writing.

Lynda Monk, founder of Creative Wellness, and author of some amazing books about writing for well-being, including Writing for Wellness: Getting Started Guide.  Lynda devotes her entire company dedicated to helping others through the power of journal writing. Her coaching style and writing prompts are so powerful that they have been known to alter the quality of people’s lives within five minutes of writing. Listen to my interview with Lynda for a taste of what she’s about.

Nathan Ohren (yes, that’s me!) will be speaking on the topic of journaling as it relates to career. Often we believe that journaling is only useful in the context of our personal lives, but I’m here to dispel that myth share some powerful ways you can use journal writing to develop yourself professionally.

If you’re ready to stretch yourself and grow your journaling practice, bring your journal and register for the expo here. Details for joining the webinar will be sent once you register.

Click below to help spread the word on Twitter:  

Tweet: I’M REGISTERED FOR THE JOURNALING EXPO!

P.S.: I’ve got a bonus homework assignment for you: prior to the expo, in your journal, write down one career goal you feel passionate about, and three statements you believe are true about journaling and your career. See you at the expo!

I am blown away and so excited to announce that JournalTalk has been nominated for Best Podcast in the Health/Fitness Category for the 9th Annual People’s Choice Podcast Awards. Out of (probably hundreds of thousands of) all submissions, JournalTalk made the “top ten” list!

Please click this link to vote now: www.podcastawards.com.  This nomination is a huge win for our field, and I want to give special recognition to the guest experts, listeners, and all who have contributed in many ways to making it happen. The fact that a podcast about the therapeutic benefits of writing has been nominated in the Health/Fitness category speaks volumes to our progress in raising awareness of the benefits of journaling.

You can cast your vote each day from November 1st through the 15th. (So there’s only 15 chances to vote.)  Winners will be announced January 5, 2014 at a special ceremony in Las Vegas.  Want to join me there?

If you’re not familiar with JournalTalk, it’s a podcast in which I interview experts on the practice of journaling. We talk about how they got started and some favorite tips and techniques they use. Each episode of the podcast reveals more reasons that journaling is an important part of our mental, emotional, and yes — physical health.  And it creates a community of people who share the passion for self-awareness and personal growth.

Every vote counts. And this is a vote for our practice, and a vote for self-care!  Please click this link to vote for us now: www.podcastawards.com.

1. Click in the bubble next to “JournalTalk” (and any other podcasts you listen to, in other categories)
2. Scroll down to the bottom to enter your name and email address.  There is no validation, so please type carefully.
3. Click Submit!  Your vote is in!  You sometimes will receive a confirmation link by e-mail to validate your vote.  Just follow the link provided.
4. REPEAT DAILY until November 15th.

Many many thanks!