The new year is a time we associate with renewal and change. How can we best use the energy of the young year to catalyze transformation in our lives?
A lot of people make the mistake of trying to change too much at once. Body and mind are creatures of habit, and each change you make deserves time and space to establish itself as one of those habits. Trying to "fix" too much at one time can sabotage your ability to meet your goals and discourage you from sticking with any of them.
The spirit may be willing, but the flesh wants the familiar and comforting. Persuade your body to "jump the ruts" and develop a new, healthier way of being by mixing enthusiasm with wisdom, and thereby setting yourself up for success.
1. Give yourself a full month to implement one change. Practice it each day. After 30 days, you will have created a new, reliable routine. At that point, you can incorporate another shift you'd like to make.
2. Join forces with a friend. Being accountable to someone else is incredibly effective when we seek to make real changes, and having a buddy just makes it a fun, shared project. Support each other, check in daily, and consider creating a chart or tracking system to record your progress.
3. Love yourself. Setbacks will happen. Nobody is perfect, and real change often requires more than one try. That's okay! Be patient. Getting mad at yourself will do nothing more than convince you to give up entirely. Don't do that--forgive yourself and start fresh in the morning.
Believe in your ability to change the things you want, and believe in yourself enough to know that if first you don't succeed, you'll try again. Be gentle with yourself. And remember: if you make one small change this year that keeps, you will have changed your life for the better *and* created a foundation of success that will only make future changes easier. Happy New Year. <3
