Hope you are all enjoying a brilliant start to 2023 all ready! Here in NZ the year started with a bang of fireworks and, after a sleep in, a relaxed albeit cloudy summer’s day. I’m not really one for New Year’s resolutions as I believe that any day can be the start of a fresh year so instead I make lists. My lists are things that I would like to work on, enjoy, achieve, experience or participate in over the coming 365 days.
They are not hard and fast goals, rather the list acts as a reminder of my dreams, hopes and desires. Many times things migrate from year to year (themselves would be quick to tell you about the cross stitch that took me three years to complete!) but many get crossed off too, sometimes without me making any concerted effort. ‘Stuff’ just seems to get done! Research backs it up too …. you are 42% more likely to achieve your goals/resolutions/dreams if you write them down.
So, whether you’re a resolution kind of person or not, how about writing down at least five things you’d like to do this year? It can be work related or not. It could be family related. It could be about some personal growth. Better yet, to get some balance, how about making your list of five connected to the ‘Five Ways to Wellbeing’; connection with someone, a physical activity, savouring the present, learning something new and supporting others.
Whatever you decide to do this year I hope that it fills you with a sense of happiness, belonging and love. Here’s to an amazing 2023!
Every December or January I write down 108 things that I want to achieve for the upcoming year. It isn’t a hard and fast list that I must complete but rather a visual reminder of where I want to head and what I’d like to do on the way. Some of it is pretty basic stuff; write a letter to a friend, read a book, go to the movies or visit a loved one. Then there are others that are more work orientated such as combining all my mini e-guides into one book, writing our family history stories and creating online courses from my workshops. The later are the ones that ‘nag’ at me the most, the ones I feel guilt over when they sit in my list for more than a year, usually while actively procrastinating.
I have loads of ideas for projects swimming around in my brain and it is hard not to have more than one on the go at once. I really admire those ‘wood pecker’ people who can just get stuck into one project and complete it before moving on. Honestly though I am more of a ‘hummingbird’ when it comes to activities. I have multiple ‘projects’ going, flitting from one to another, making them all drawn out. Each day I aim to do a little on each of my projects and interests in the hope that they will come off my list. It also helps me feel like I have been productive and a lot more positive. They are little steps I know but they are all moving me towards my goals and even though it means they aren’t being achieved quite as quickly as I would like I tell myself I am building consistency.
This is all well and good when I’m in a routine at home and have the day to structure how I like. The kicker comes when we need to be out and about or away. It doesn’t take much to distract this little hummingbird! I quickly get out of the swing of taking productive action each day, whether that be eating well, exercising or working on projects, and invariably items get dropped. I enjoy the change in scenery for sure however then I find it really hard to great back into taking action and making decisions which align with what I want vs what is the path of least resistance. After a few days I can feel my mood head south, doubt creeps in. Am I doing enough? Am I enough? Will I ever actually finish what I want to do? Am I doing anything of value?
Sticking to your path can be tricky sometimes
It can be hard when this happens and harder still to re-frame my thoughts towards getting ‘back on track’. The pull of sliding into the wallow is great and the discomfort of taking positive action to create change never fails to surprise me. Over the years though the realization that ultimately I feel better when I am exercising, eating right, meditating and working towards where I want to be (a healthy, relaxed and happy person) helps me to make the changes I need to get back to my daily little steps. I notice too that over time I am faster and faster at getting back on track after I’m ‘way laid’. I still have off days where all I want to do is ‘veg’ and procrastinate however I’m now I tend to just let them visit and enjoy them as I know that they won’t be here forever. I’m more confident that a return to productivity will return.
Why am I sharing all this? Well I guess sometimes I think I’m the only one going through this internal (sometimes external) chaos but then I chat to someone and realize we are all the same. We are all going through the same ups and downs. We all have things we want to do, be it small like finishing a project or large like seeking the help we need to heal. We are all striving to do our best with what we have. All trying to feel better, happier and healthier each day. So, I thought today I’d be that someone to let you know I hear you and understand, maybe not the full picture of what you are experiencing but the struggle to journey through life in the direction you want while navigating the ‘potholes’ as they are encountered.
And while the discomfort of doing those little things which help you feel more productive, happier and healthier can be awkward, uncomfortable and even bloody hard at times in the end they will get you where you want to be so keep on going, don’t give up and always look ahead. Little steps will bet no steps every time.
Here we are …… we made it! The last day of 2018 is upon us with 2019 just waiting to emerge.
Preparing for the year ahead.
Each year at this time I sit down and take time to prepare myself for the year ahead. I change journal/diaries (my own creation) and with that I also write down some of the activities, hopes and goals I’d like to complete in the upcoming year while seeing all the great things I have achieved in the outgoing one. These are pretty loose I have to say and not all of them are huge. I include things like getting a massage, reading a book, writing a letter to a friend – an actual pen and paper one that is 🙂 – along with some ‘work’ things like newsletters, ‘planning’ for homeschooling and blog posts and some more inspirational goals too.
Hoping to get back here a bit more often next year 🙂
They often aren’t all completed, actually I don’t think I have ever done that, however that is not really the aim. Those that aren’t completed in one year just more on over to the next …….. I have only just framed some cross-stitches I did for the kids after that being on my list for 2 years! Rather my ‘108 Things to do’ serves as a reminder instead of a ‘must do’ list which kinda takes the pressure off while still realizing my hopes and dreams.
You may also think that 108 is an excess amount of things to write down and you’re probably correct if you try to write all 108 at once. However I begin with with all the things I need to carry over (like updating my website so it is phone friendly), then the things I know I’ll be doing (like the monthly family blog) then add to it in drips and drabs along the year. I only came to 108 things to do as I couldn’t get the tables to give me 100 nicely. Then I read in a book how 108 is a sacred number 108 is a sacred number and felt kind of glad it worked out that way 🙂
Hope I can jump into the new year with as much enthusiasm!
With that said I’m off to get writing in that journal/diary. I hope this finds you remembering and releasing 2018 with a smile while welcoming 2019 for all the wonderful possibilities it holds.
Have you got some new year’s resolutions set? Have you stuck to them? Have you already reneged on them?
I’m a shocker for telling myself that tomorrow I’ll give up something or start something only to forget about it by half way through the day and then have to start all over again! I figure that the important thing is to keep trying and slowly but surely the gap between my ‘resolutions’ and my ‘reneging’ is widening.
In the past few years I have also taken to letting go of new year’s resolutions per say and instead I have decided to have a list of things I’d like to do over the year. This is simply a list of 100 things that I fancy having a go at or completing. I know that sounds like a lot however they are not all big items …. I have put down to read a book four times and to write to a friend twice included in my 100 for example.
I only have 108 because it fitted my pages neatly :0
I don’t have a time frame apart from in the year and I simply read through them every week or so to remind myself of the things I wanted to do. Amazingly just the simple act of writing down my future intentions and perusing them every now and again is enough to begin the ball rolling as in the first year I actually completed 80% of my ‘things to do’ without any pressure or goal setting.
Anyway … just thought I’d share what I’m up to and give a bit of food for thought. Hope this finds you enjoying the new year wherever you are and whatever you are up to.
Becoming Healthy 