It’s the New Year, and many of us are making resolutions for 2010. My 2010 goals are very similar to last year, but I’ve added some new goals, too:

  • Track all my expenses
  • Spend $350 a month or less on food
  • Put $200 a month in savings
  • Try one new recipe each week
  • Write every day
  • Read every day
  • Meet my goal weight of 165
  • Practice daily spirituality

The goal of putting more money into savings is going to be a challenge, but it’s a challenge that I am excited to meet.   It will mean slashing our entertainment expenses and keeping our utility costs in check, but I would much rather see our money going into savings than into the coffers of the electric company.

The first book that I am reading for the new year is Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol. The book has a lot of information in it about the belief that your thoughts can literally effect the outcome of events. Although the book is fictional, it has a basis in reality. A few years ago the film “The Secret” enjoyed a wave of popularity, and many people, Oprah included, were turned onto the idea of sending positive intentions out in to the universe in order to attract abundance into their lives.

The basic premise is that our thoughts are like magnets that have the ability to attract actual matter. It’s simply a question of switching your mindset and the way that you think about your life. For example, if you constantly think about all the debt that you have, you are going to be attracting more debt, because that is the energy that you are sending out into the universe. However, if you flip the script and start expressing gratitude for your ability to meet your needs, you will start attracting more prosperity.

I know . . . it sounds a little hippie dippy. I was skeptical when I saw “The Secret,” too. But I started to read more about the idea of mind over matter, and there’s a lot of evidence to support this claim. In fact, Lana wrote a whole series for Queercents last year about building personal wealth consciousness by applying many of the same principles that are discussed in “The Secret,” as well as The Lost Symbol.

Set Specific Goals
To get started, write down your goals for the year and then post them in a place where you will see them every day. You could make just a simple list, or you could do a vision board/treasure map where you put up pictures that represent your goals. Another way to do this is to write your intentions on a piece of paper, then put the paper in a flower pot. Plant some seeds, and as your plant grows, so grows your intention. Be sure to put a small piece of bread in the bottom of the pot as a gift for the plant.

Good News is Worth Repeating
Begin each day by affirming your intentions for the year. For example, I will meet my goal weight this year, and I will save $200 each month. When you pay your bills each month, do it with a attitude of abundance. For example, I am grateful that I have more than enough money to meet my needs.

Out With the Old, In With the New
Is there something negative in your life that might prevent you from meeting your goals in 2010? Why not have a purging party, like these New Yorkers did? You could write down what you want to purge, then put it through the shredder. Another way to do it is to write it down and then burn the paper in a bowl. You could put a small amount of patchouli or witches’ hazel in the bowl if you want, because both of them have cleansing properties.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

What’s your opinion? Do your thoughts really have the power to effect your financial outcomes? If you think about wide open freeways, will you really avoid the traffic? I’d love to get your take on it. What are your goals for 2010?

Photo credit: stock.exchng