I Used to Be Like Everyone Else
For years I did the same song and dance. It was a new year which meant a new me, right? I would get really excited about it and make sure my resolutions were done before the stroke of midnight. On New Year’s Day I would make a plan and think about all the changes that I was going to make this year. This year was going to be my year. Then February would come and go and take with it my motivation (and maybe even the piece of paper with my resolutions written on it). Life would get in the way, and the resolutions would be forgotten.
Why I Don’t Do New Year’s Resolutions
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to realize that I can re-invent myself any day that I choose. Why bother writing out resolutions only to lose motivation or time and abandon them completely? Then I just feel horrible about myself and see no point in moving forward with the carefully crafted list from New Year’s Eve. At this point, not only have I lost the resolve to complete my resolutions, but I have also successfully started my new year off feeling horrible about being the kind of person who can’t keep a commitment to herself. Who wants to deal with that? No thank you.
Don’t Wait for the New Year
A new year, a birthday, or a major event does not need to be the catalyst for self change. As a matter of fact, these things should never be the catalyst. The only reason you should feel the need for change is because you notice something deep inside of you that is ready for growth. When you see this, you are truly ready and motivated to move forward for the amount of time needed to accomplish your vision.
What Can You Do Instead of New Year’s Resolutions?
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When people write resolutions, it comes from a place of lack, regret, and disappointment. Resolutions are negative by nature because we tend to focus on the things we don’t like about ourselves such as weight, bad habits, or physical appearance. Instead of doing this, use the chance to ring in the new year with a vision of what you want your life to be like in a year if you had no obstacles in the way. Create a vision for the upcoming year of how you can take hold of your life and obtain your dreams. By doing this, you focus on a positive future self who has dreams and goals instead of the present self who is flawed and struggles to stick with the created list. You are looking at what you can achieve instead of focusing on what you have failed to do in the past.
What’s Next?
My next blog post will walk you through how to create that vision and what you can do to help yourself achieve it. I also want to introduce you to Thrive 365 where we take a look at working towards the life of your dreams one day at a time. Until then, have an awesome New Year’s Eve!
