Why are New Year’s resolutions even a thing? My husband likes to argue that you don’t need to wait for a specific day to start something you really want to do. It probably is an overly romantic notion that you can somehow transform your life in the year ahead when you weren’t able to in the past but, so what?
Maybe it is entirely delusional to assume you can be someone completely different in the next year – whether it’s your plan to start working out regularly or give up alcohol or keep a daily journal. But I am all about hope, hope for a better tomorrow, even if it dictated by a Hallmark occasion. As far I am concerned, if you use the start of a new year as an opportunity to reflect back on your past year and document aspirations for the year ahead, it’s a beautiful thing. It’s something special you are doing for yourself, so go for it!
I posted yesterday about looking back on 2018 and being grateful not just for those big knockout achievements but for those small wins that happened along the way. Whether it was conquering a presentation at work that had my stomach in knots, or having a difficult conversation I really didn’t want to, or forcing myself to wake up at 5am to get to a yoga class, those are some of my proudest accomplishments in 2018.
And that’s really at the heart of it, rather than making grand resolutions, maybe you can think about small habits you can change. Rather than writing down lofty goals, I make a simple list of things I want to start, stop and continue.
I want to start…
Building my stamina and strength
2018 was a great year in terms of building a regular yoga practice and teaching more classes as a dance fitness instructor but I want to really focus on building up my stamina and strength this year. #beastmode
Investing in better self care
Well we ain’t getting younger! I want to spend more time nourishing myself, body, heart, soul, skin, the whole enchilada.
Reading more
It’s pretty horrendous how little I read these days. Honestly, I am embarrassed. I have to do better, especially if I want to develop as a writer. The biggest barrier, Netflix. It’s so much easier to watch mindless TV than to read something. But that has got to stop.
I want to stop….
Binge watching mindless TV
Enough said.
Working crazy hours
The double edged sword of loving my job is that I work too much. I need better boundaries around work time so I can make time for other things that also matter.
I want to continue…
Journaling every morning
I had many starts and stops at this in 2018 but I really want to get back to this regular practice. Journaling
Evolving as a writer
I want to write more in 2019, write better. Maybe venture into some new territory like fiction writing.
Spending more time with family and close friends
This hasn’t always been easy for me. I am a self-afflicted loner; I happen to love my own company! So, it takes a lot for me to reach out to people and come out of my cocoon. I have gotten better at it in some ways and have work to do in others. Work in progress…
All in all, 2019 will be about doing more of the things that nourish, and less of the things that distract.
Now it’s your turn. What do you want to start, stop and continue in 2019?
