New Year, Same Me

It’s a new year and an opportunity to reflect on last year. What went well? What can be improved on? However, oftentimes, our focus in our reflection is on the latter question – what can be improved on? The answers to this question will generally result in our New Year’s Resolutions. We write them out or do a vision board of the things we want to change or see improved in ourselves or our life. After years of not being successful with our resolutions, we may stop calling them ‘resolutions’ and call them goals, or instead of having ten resolutions we identify the top three things we want to change or accomplish. The hope at this point is that referring to them differently or reducing the number will improve their stickiness in our lives and the chance that we will accomplish what is ultimately the New Year’s Resolutions. The results are generally disappointing, and I suspect I know why. The idea behind setting resolutions is that there is something wrong – our lives, or the way we do things, and it needs to change. But who wants to focus on fixing themselves for a year?

As I reflect on one of the biggest changes I’m going to make this year, the first begins with what I focus on. In past years I’ve been like others, resolutions, goals, or a vision board to think about what I want to see in myself for the coming year. In past years, some things stuck, but most did not. So instead of focusing on the changes I want to see for myself, I’m going to focus on what went well from last year that I want to see continued in hopes that my focus on the positive will manifest into more of the good things across my life.

Better health

As 2021 ended, my physical showed numbers improved.  Blood pressure was better, glucose was better, HDL and CDL were all better. These results are a great motivation for me to keep at it my routine – walking. My go-to activity is walking my neighborhood as close as possible to the dawn of morning. It’s been a great way to clear my head before the day starts and have 30-45 minutes of legitimate alone time.

Massages

In 2021, I invested in more facials and massages than I’ve easily had in the last five years {I.e., since my children were born}. It felt great. My skin glowed and my body felt good even with the rigor of more exercise.  It’s again one way where I’ve experienced uninterrupted alone time that also allows me to clear my head.

Standing up for myself

I did this frequently across various relationships and spaces in my life last year. I lessened the experience of staying in situations that did not serve me in a positive way. I affirmed my presence in situations where I could tell I was being silenced. I affirmed that my voice and opinions mattered.

No more excuses

Last year I stopped making excuses for not accomplishing things. I refrained from explaining myself when something didn’t get accomplished. I stopped feeling bad that I didn’t get the 101st thing done on my never-ending list of things that need to get done. Some people understood, others didn’t. I typically felt like for those that didn’t understand, it was a personal problem for them, a deficit in them that didn’t understand that time is limited, and my superwoman powers only go so far.

Thinking positively

This is something I’m getting addicted to. The more positive I think, the more positive things happen. While I generally try to be a positive person, particularly for friends and others in my life, I find that don’t always live what I preach.  But I did this year, and it was great to see the results play out across the year.

I am entering into 2022 with the mentality that I will be the same me I was last year.  The outcomes of my choices resulted in a healthier, more fulfilled, and confident person.  I feel like if I focus on those choices and outcomes, I will continue to make great choices for myself that will also result in a healthier, more fulfilled, and confident person this year.

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