Better Than New Year's Resolutions?
Do you want to do things differently this year?
Get more out of life, or be a better person?
If you are someone who every January makes a list of resolutions and gets them done without a hitch, stop reading now! This message is not for you.
But if you’re one of the many folks like me for whom resolutions create more stress than results, here are three ways to build positive changes into your new year.
!. Pick a watchword or intention
What do you want to see happen in your life this year? Think of a word or phrase that embodies it.
Write the word on post-it notes and put them in your bathroom, on your computer, anywhere that you will see it every day. Set an alarm on your phone to remind you to think of the word.
Then watch how you gravitate towards ideas and actions that move you toward that outcome. Here's how it's working for me.
This year, I chose the watchword “restore.” The word captures my intention to contribute to the restoration of our natural environment, our social fabric, and to renew or begin some activities that restore me personally.
I started by focusing my charitable contributions on environmental organizations.
Then, when someone mentioned “restorative yoga,” I decided to try a class. The feeling of supported stretching and relaxation was marvelous and different from anything I have tried.
When I shared that with my daughter, she told me how Class Pass makes it easy to try classes in lots of different studios. The first few weeks are free. Then, you can use it anywhere in the U.S. I’ve already signed up for two classes.
It's okay if I don't do any more. I'll find some other way to restore myself. But if I like it, I bet I will continue.
2. Break big goals into small, bite-size tasks
With so many urgent problems that need our attention, how do you avoid getting paralyzed and doing nothing?
The key is to focus on just one small thing, maybe just for one day. Then try another. And so on.
That’s why I like the Americans with a Conscience Checklist. Each week, author Jen Hofman sends you a list of actions you can take to support our democracy. She groups them into categories-- like voting rights or immigration—so you can choose your focus.
It’s a helpful tool for action that also updates you on the results of your work. And she reminds us that small things add up!
3. Make one good decision every day and act on it
My friend Dr. Janice Asher passed on this phrase. It's simple, it's manageable to do, and it’s a great message to live by, particularly if you are trying to change longstanding habits.
BTW, Janice’s Healthy Living Rx blog gives helpful, medically informed inspiration and advice on eating and living in healthy ways without pressure or shame. If you want to make changes in those areas, check out her newsletter!
Do you need help making change?
It can be hard to add “one more thing” to our busy lives. If it’s not urgent, it goes on the back burner. But what if it is really important – like deciding your life’s direction?
That’s where a coach can be really helpful. We help you clarify, focus, and then act. One client, a successful attorney, just emailed me, “I wish I could keep you as my coach for life, though I know that is not the point.”
And it’s not. I love “graduating” my clients. But the satisfaction I receive from helping them make positive change never gets old.
I’m waiting to hear from you! Call me at 610-585-1945 or email judith@judithkurnickcoaching.com.
Happy New Year!