New Year, New Me?
I really do love this time of the year. It’s a moment when we get to reflect on a year now behind us and get excited about the year to come. Knowing that I just achieved another year of life, gaining memories, experiences, lessons, gratitude, and a wider community brings me deep joy. But for many people this time of the year is full of regret, anxiety, pressure, self-doubt, and negative energy. For a long time I was one of those people, and it’s taken a lot of WORK to change my attitude. I used to see “resolutions” as quick goals to achieve a better version of myself. By January 15th I always found myself frustrated at my lack of accomplishment, disgusted at my inability to compare to my peers, and disappointed at the thought of having to start over again. What I realize now is that, year after year, I was setting my mind up for failure. I jumped on the “new year, new me” bandwagon and set aggressive goals that sounded like the life I wanted but hardly fit the life I had.
“Make more money! Be consistent with exercise. Make time for travel. Live in the moment, be present. Lose weight, tone. Try something new. Read more. Create self-care habits. Eat less sugar. Reduce anxiety. Boundaries.”
Sure, those resolutions sounded great, but in two weeks time I’d stumble upon the notebook I wrote them down in, quickly jot down a journal entry, check every bank account I have at one time, book myself 3 workout classes for the next day, buy a new book on Amazon to start reading tonight, and toss out any sugar in my line of sight. Basically, I would spiral into an immediate anxious panic.
All that time I spent trying to figure out how to become a better version of myself when I should have been using the time to thank my body for the progress I made and ask my brain what more I needed from the new year. Now, instead of setting resolutions, I take time to reflect on my year via a journal and gratitude entry, get excited about all that is to come via an ideas board where I list out my intentions. Creating an ideas board and setting intentions allows me to bridge the gap between what I think I want, what I actually want, and what is actually attainable for me, my body, and my life right now. The way I see it, we make hundreds of decisions every day - small and large. So, if we chose to fuel each of those decisions with a personal intention, then we get closer and closer to living a life fueled by our truest selves every day.
Let the new year be a time to thank your body for all that it did for you last year and all that it will do for you next year. Allow yourself to find gratitude in the you of last year and joy in releasing expectations.
Set aside one hour
I’m a morning person so I’ll choose 8am on Sunday morning
Find yourself a safe & quiet space
Before the sun rises, I’ll sit in my living room on my couch with a warm cup of coffee wearing my robe and a blanket
Take our a journal & pen that sparks joy
To treat myself, I bought a new journal with a cover that makes me feel excited to get to write in it. I also love a good pen so I’ll bring my favorite Pilot G-2 0.5 (if you know, you know)
Make An ideas board!
Be open and free. The sky is the limit!
I’ll get creative and write down anything- like travel to New Zealand and become more fluent in natural wine, or decrease stress/anxiety and get more sleep.
Review the page
Read what you wrote- how you feel, do any emotions come up?
Now write down the Why
This part can be more challenging. Try to be as open and honest with yourself as possible.
I’d like to travel to New Zealand because I’m feeling a lack of adventure in my day to day and need something to inspire me. I’d like to decrease stress an anxiety because I feel it taking a toll on my body and my relationships. I need to get more sleep so I don’t feel like I’m slogging through my work day.
You’ve just found your intentions. Take a moment to breathe
You are doing a great job.
Think about your intentions (the Why) and create a list of actions you can take every day to live out your intentions
Take this nice and slow. Be real with yourself. Avoid writing actions that you simply know you will not practice. Instead, think through a typical day and see what small changes you can make to it. For example:
I know I can carve out 30 minutes every night to watch a travel show like Anthony Bourdain to inspire my adventurous side or read a new adventure novel. I could also intentionally try cooking one new recipe every week to inspire my creativity.
I know I can also spend 3 minutes right when I wake up to meditate instead of scrolling on my phone. This may reduce my anxiety.
Read over your intentions and let them sink in
At this point you might even be excited because you have chosen easily accessible and achievable action items for yourself
Open your calendar and block off one hour every two months for reflection
It’s important to hold yourself accountable and check in with yourself. As long as you’ve made this a safe and comfortable space, you will probably find yourself excited to spend me-time revisiting your intentions. Every time you come back to this activity, be sure to start by making a note about what worked for you and what didn’t work for you. It’s okay to not get your intentions right on the first try. This will likely be trial and error and will take some time to develop intentions that truly work for your life. But that is the fun part! You have one life to live so be kind to yourself, take this slow, and enjoy the journey.
If you are interested in having help on your journey, sign up for a free nutrition & wellness coaching consultation with me via the link below.