Are you sick of the “New Year resolution” hype? Let’s reframe the life overhaul mindset!
A year is too long to plan ahead for.
You don’t know what circumstances may arise, what tragedies or opportunities are coming your way,
that is why it's so much more useful to create daily habits and rituals that serve your mental and physical health, so no matter what does come up in life, you have these to fall back on.
Whether for you, it’s eating dinner at the table with your family every night, or getting organised for tomorrow the night before, or spending 5 minutes in the morning getting clear on what the most important things to do for the day are, or having a cup of tea in the morning sun before the busyness of the day takes hold.
We are all very similar yet have our unique blueprint for what makes us feel grounded, connected and fulfilled. So it’s worthwhile exploring what those are for you and making habits and rituals around that.
If you feel amazing going to a yin yoga class on a Sunday when your favourite teacher is holding a class but despise attending a HIIT class at 6am on Monday, you can see what you should lean more towards.
My unique blueprint is not yours, your favourite influencer’s lifestyle will not nourish you, this is for you to discover and play around with.
This could take weeks, it could take years. It’s not something that has a beginning or an end, it’s an ever-evolving dedication to you, your most fulfilling healthy life, and showing up as your most present self for those you care about.
It’s not a once-a-year intention-setting, self-hating shopping list of ‘should do’s’ its a playful discovery of what nourishes your body, mind and soul.
So before you start your typical “New Year's Resolution” 2024 edition, consider answering these questions first.
How do I feel in my body right now?
How do I want to feel in my body?
Eg. Energised, light, joyful, spacious, pain-free, calm.
What do I spend my time doing?
What would I like to do more of that fills me up?
Where am I leaking energy, time and money in my life?
I feel most nourished when I:
Think back to a time when you showed up as your best self for your loved ones. How did that feel in your body? How did they respond to you? What led to you showing up that way?
Eg. I had a good night's sleep. I went for a walk before everyone else woke up. I took time for myself to have a bath. I had a massage.
How we think, speak and act is habitual. Creating new habits requires more than just sheer willpower and motivation. It requires us to make it ‘easy’ for ourselves. Our brains are wired to do what is easy, comfortable and safe. When we try to start a new habit, say exercising 3 x a week when we haven't exercised consistently for years, our brain and nervous system will deem this unsafe, it gives us all the reasons why we shouldn't start this new habit. Procrastination, fear of starting something new, self-doubt. And this is exactly what happens on January 1st when were all trying to start our 10 New Year resolutions all at once. All the self-limiting beliefs set in and 80% of us give up by February, by June our resolutions are a distant memory. By December the self-loathing sets back in as we are reminded that we didn't accomplish most of what we set out to do and our life is looking very similar to how it did 12 months ago. The pattern is disconcerting, to say the least, and it keeps us trapped.
The way to truly change your life requires a mindset shift. From the idea of dramatic changes through willpower and motivation to something much more subtle.
By focusing on small daily rituals, small moments and processes, our efforts compound daily, we build trust in ourselves and we no longer have to rely on motivation or willpower because these small practices of devotion become who we are, become so deeply ingrained in our daily life that they become habitual.
Creating change in our lives is not a cataclysmic event, it’s a devotion to micro-decisions that dramatically alter the course of our lives over months, years and decades.
Think big, act small.