One of the best ways to deal with a post-holiday slump -- or mid-winter blues -- is to engage in a daily practice of positive visualization. Visualization is a powerful force, and whether we are aware of it or not, the unconscious mind constantly sends and receives visual messages, images of things we want, or don’t want, in our lives. If you allow  negative, default visualization to run through your mind all day, you may notice the negative emotions resulting from the negative images: anxiety, disquiet, frustration, hopelessness, melancholy. On the other hand, when you make positive visualization a regular part of your day, every day, you experience positive emotions like peace, joy and love, and you’ll notice an increase in your creativity, inspiration, and optimism.

We stand on the threshold of a new year, and many people are looking forward toward new opportunities, challenges and thresholds of achievement. Now is the time to look back, learn, and whenever possible, laugh. As human beings, we live in a body that is constantly changing, in a universe that is ever-expanding, exploding, destroying and creating. Life is not a constant, it can be chaotic. But change, although sometimes stressful or even frightening, is also dynamic, creative and liberating. We all benefit when we live in balance.

Resiliency is the ability to bounce back, adapt to adversity, and roll with the punches. Resilience gives us the flexibility to restore ourselves, and our lives after difficulty, trauma, and loss, and it is a quality in high demand during these rapidly changing times.  Although there may be a genetic factor involved, resilience is not something you are either born with or not.  You can learn, build, and develop your resilience. A sense of humor, like resilience, can also be learned and developed, and it can really help you to roll with the punches.
Here are four strategies to help you build your resilience:

Happiness is a state of being. It is a way of thinking, a conscious choice. Lots of people think the “pursuit of happiness” is a linear process, so they live in a state of expectancy, or hope of happiness arriving…some day. They pursue, hoping to some day overtake happiness when the conditions are perfect. But you can experience happiness in the present moment, without waiting, if you give yourself permission — in the moment. There is no need to meet any requirement, fulfill any quota, or compete with rivals in order to allow yourself the liberty of carrying unconditional happiness inside you every moment of the day. You are calling the shots here — your life is yours alone to experience.

Optimism is capital, it’s premium metaphysical real estate, the domain of Kickass Personal Transformation. When you invest in optimism, you get back heavy returns. How you think about yourself, life, and others determines the quality of your experiences, your worldview, and your impact on the rest of humanity and nature, so why not engage in a proactively positive outlook? The process is simple, effective, and can be initiated instantly by harnessing the power of the present moment. Cultivate your “now” awareness, and begin creating thoughts and feelings of joy, love, and the certainty that good things are coming your way. The choice is yours -- you hold the key to your own happiness, so find what pocket it’s stashed in.

You don’t have to be born a genius, a gifted person, in order to be creative, but you do need to develop your own creative genius. The key to creativity is action. A person who thinks of innovative, exciting ideas, and then doesn’t act on them, is an imaginative person, but not a creative person. The act of creation brings something into being. Creativity and genius are the product of thousands of hours of action -- practice, study, training. And the amount of encouragement, motivation, and opportunity you receive influences your creativity and your product.

I’m visualizing a badass, successful day today, full of hope, beauty, laughs, and prosperity. Visualization opens doors, but action walks me through those doors and into the room. I believe in the power of affirmation, positive self-talk, and visualization to achieve my goals, and I have seen dramatic results in my life. But none of those processes can deliver without a solid action plan in the moment.

Positive visualization is a powerful and effective tool which can help you to reach any goal, overcome any obstacle, and realize any dream. One very important thing to remember about positive visualization is that the more specific your vision is, the better your results. Attain a relaxed mental state, and charge up your positive emotions -- you can do this by listening to music that lifts you up, or by exercising -- anything that increases your endorphins. Endorphins, positive emotions, and a feeling of serenity will turbo-charge your visualization. Many people use photos, clippings from magazines, or images from the web to help the mind fix itself on a clear picture or symbol of what you desire to manifest.

Positive visualization is a powerful and effective tool which can help you to reach any goal, overcome any obstacle, and realize any dream. One very important thing to remember about positive visualization is that the more specific your vision is, the better your results. Attain a relaxed mental state, and charge up your positive emotions -- you can do this by listening to music that lifts you up, or by exercising -- anything that increases your endorphins. Endorphins, positive emotions, and a feeling of serenity will turbo-charge your visualization. Many people use photos, clippings from magazines, or images from the web to help the mind fix itself on a clear picture or symbol of what you desire to manifest.

On the journey to kickass personal transformation, every positive action develops confidence. Visualizing, planning, and discussing goals and dreams are part of your process  -- but action builds confidence in yourself and your ultimate goal. So allow yourself to realize that each small step is significant if it is followed by another small step. Often, the big leaps don't present themselves until you've done ten thousand small steps. That's okay! The key is to allow yourself to recognize each small accomplishment and celebrate it as you follow the path to success.