As the first week of 2018 comes to an end, my "New Years Resolutions" are still yet to be decided on. Nothing has changed, not much has been learned. Which is common. Changes are made so many times throughout the year, that when it comes to New Years Resolutions, unless you have thought about it for quite some time, what really needs to be changed that you haven't before?
I completely understand the tradition of NYC, a new year is a great time to ditch old habits and create some bigger plans for yourself, but it is easy to create a list of highly set goals for yourself just to end up saying, "meh, nevermind" a few weeks in. So, as the first week of 2018 wraps up, I am grabbing my iced coffee and setting some resolutions for myself here, with you. By the end of this post, I hope that you will have thought of some for yourself as well or if came prepared and had a list already created, I challenge you to add onto it. You don't have to dig deep, but let's try.
A lot of us are the same when it comes to making plans for ourselves, we either like to do one of three things. The first way is to ultimately be super private so that 1. no one "steals our ideas" or 2. that when we do find success we can flaunt it... don't say that you've never told yourself that because we all have at one point or another... it's not selfish, we are humans and that's just that. On the other hand, some of us like to document each step so that we can 1. "prove" our success or 2. help someone else who is also riding the struggle bus... which we all are even if we are being private, am I right? But then there are few of us who are a mixture of these two... we like to document each step to keep ourselves accountable and to show our improvements but also keeping things private or so that if we go off path, we don't get judged by it. It is also possible that we can go through spells of being private for so long, then documenting everything to catch up. It's annoying but it's the truth and it's also the first step... which makes you feel the most comfortable and which will you set your resolutions under?
Mine? An equal mixture. I plan to share everything but I'm not going to voice all of my plans at once so that I can build and understand them first.
The second step is to set subsections. This may include long vs short term, personal/professional/financial/health/activities/relational/etc. or possibly by a time frame. ***Be very careful if you do decide to set a time frame for yourself, this could either make or break your goal. By setting a time frame, you can easily motivate yourself to accomplish something by that "end" date but you have to understand some things do take time and you cannot control time. If you see that your goal wasn't accomplished by the set date, do not get discouraged or give up on that plan... be patient and understand the universe.
*sips coffee and begins writing my list*
Personal:
1) create a new morning and night time self-care routine
2) find the confidence that I have lost in myself
3) try something new and step out of my comfort zone
4) take my free time to spend on myself instead of going to sleep at 8:30pm or wasting my life away watching TV or glued to my phone
Professional (for blogging purposes):
1) become more active on all Xoxo, MJ social media sites
2) ultimately find my "niche"
3) expand, in several forms
**stay tuned for these expansions, subscribe and follow my social media sites for updates**
Health:
1) manage my mental illness
2) be and feel healthier (this isn't buying a gym membership and going on a diet, let's make that clear)
3) take care of my body
Financial:
1) have my student loans payed off by the end of the year
Activities:
1) find a new hobby (or hobbies, if I'm feeling extra)
Okay... I know I went a little overboard and though many of these plans that I have aren't simple, they are precise and they will take time but they will overall change my life in a more positive way. You may only have one goal, you may have 20, your list is YOUR list but either way I encourage you to write down at least something to consider.
As week two of 2018 rolls in, I plan to slowly add these resolutions into my every day life, you may decide to wait longer and that is completely fine! So this next step may be difficult for some of us and may be the main reason we decide to cut our newly set journey short... it's our biggest test: how will we begin these changes? This is a practice that is different for every single individual, sure some things could be suggested that you try and I will give you those suggestions, but in reality... you know yourself and how you work, you are your own boss but you have to either keep yourself accountable or have a friend/mentor keep you accountable. **check the life-coaching page or contact for more information coming soon**
Ways that I have accomplished changes that I have set for myself in the past have been as simple as writing a check list for each day and marking them off as I go through or as complex as creating an entire new game plan for my life day 1 by rearranging things in my house to make sure I take a different route each day than I was originally used to, writing down accomplishments from each day and rereading them again in the morning for motivation or setting goals to accomplish the next morning the night before and even posting sticky notes on my mirror and fridge to remind myself of positivity or my goals. Some people can wake up the next day with a whole new mindset, others may have to use tools like this to give them a little boost. Though these changes have helped me in the past and I may be able to use again, they may not work in your favor which is totally understandable. I am interested in hearing what helps you make changes in your life, how do you go about making the initial change and holding yourself accountable?
I am excited to take on this new journey as I conquer myself and my goals but I am even more excited to hear and experience the new journey that you are planning to conquer as well! Let's make 2018 one to remember, in the best possible way. Let's learn to face our past and create our future... let's pull each other up instead of pushing each other down, let's learn to listen before we respond. Let's make 2018......... OURS!!!
As always,
Xoxo, MJ