Today, I would like to share an insightful little poem I came across by Portia Nelson Autobiography in Five Short Chapters found in her book There’s a Hole in My Sidewalk.

Chapter One
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I fall in.
I am lost .... I am helpless.
It isn't my fault.
It takes forever to find a way out.

Chapter Two
I walk down the street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I pretend that I don't see it.
I fall in again.
I can't believe I am in this same place.
But, it isn't my fault.
It still takes a long time to get out.

Chapter Three
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I see it is there.
I still fall in ... it's a habit ... but, my eyes are open.
I know where I am.
It is my fault.
I get out immediately.

Chapter Four
I walk down the same street.
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk.
I walk around it.

Chapter Five
I walk down another street.

As we enter 2009, full of hopes and dreams for this year and the years to come, are we going in, carrying the same bag of beliefs and habits, or are we ready to start making new choices?

What is the hole in the street that you keep falling into? Is it that piece of cheesecake that you simply can't resist? Or that cigarette you simply must light up, though you know it's only going to get into that same deep hole again. What harm can one piece of cheesecake or one cigarette do, you ask. And you walk into the same hole again...

All it takes is a decision to just walk another street... yes, it is as simple as that. Countless people I coach have done just that and so can you. Stop lying to yourself about some of your self-sabotaging behaviours. You can take control of your actions and you can make the choice to have the life of your dreams! Just do it.