This is my first blog of the year and I would be lying if I said I hadn't been procrastinating due to suffering writer's block. Okay I know I'm not an author but I do like to try to only blog and write when something particularly profound and interesting pops to mind and I just haven't been able to land on ONE THING.
That my lovely friends ... is called an overwhelmed mind and I am going to put it out there and say, I bet I am not the only one feeling like this at the start of a new year?
The new year can boast renewed energy, the feeling of turning over a new leaf... new year, new me etc. We suddenly set off at the speed of light with a multitude of 'resolutions' or as I like to call them 'positive intentions' and within a week or so as we add in more new habits we find ourselves utterly exhausted and any focus we had has gone, as is that opportunity for achieving what we set out to do in the first place.
So why do we make new years resolutions and what can we do differently to make them stick?
I think what happens is this, the start of a new year puts us in a sweet spot. It gives us a moment to look back and reflect on the past year and also to look ahead into a defined period of time (365 days to be precise). We are reminded of things we want, perhaps things we didn't get around to doing last year and having that 12 month window of time ahead, helps to remove some of the pressure. Suddenly goals seem more obtainable - we dare to dream.
The best thing we can do with this new year injection of energy is to reassess our goals and values. Write them down and REFOCUS on the WHY! For example, if health is something you value (for most of us it's fairly high on the list), remind yourself WHY it is important?
Then channel this value into your resolutions for 2023. It is the WHY behind our goals and intentions that makes it personal to us, and that is what maintains our energy and focus.
The other thing we can all do differently is to be VERY SPECIFIC on what you want to achieve.
For example by proclaiming 'my new years’ resolution this year is to get fit' ask yourself, what does that look like? How will you feel when you have achieved fitness? If you don't know the answer to those questions, how will you know if you've succeeded…? This is where having a coach (eh hem!) can really help. We are trained in getting clients to establish what their goals are and help them achieve them AND it really is what we love doing.
My final words of wisdom on sticking with your resolutions are these… DON’T TRY TO BOIL THE OCEAN. My good friend and certified Life Coach A
nne-Louise (Thirty and Thriving) used this simple phrase to sum up perfectly how to be REALISTIC when trying to achieve your goals. It looks like this, if you haven’t done exercise in a long time or you are new to it, start slow and small… tiny changes all add up over time to make long lasting changes and big results.
So, if you’ve already run out of steam for 2023, don’t fret (like me trying to write a blog), take a moment, have a think about what’s important TO YOU, go for a walk, write a few words and just see what happens.
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