04 Jan Want To Make 2016 Your Best Year Yet? Here’s How.

You made it!  You survived the holidays and all of the year end madness.  And now we are here at the start of a brand new year, fresh, crisp, clean and full of promise.  Kind of like a brand new notebook – full of possibilities.  (YAY!)

But you know how it goes.  All too often we start the year full of promises, resolutions, goal setting and while that is great, after a few weeks we find ourselves not getting to the gym quite as often as we had hoped, find ourselves working all hours of the night again, ordering take out food and getting sloppy on that healthy diet we resolved to stick to and the list goes on.

Well, not this year, because instead of making this a year of goal setting (not that there’s anything wrong with goal setting), let’s make it a year of sticking to very simple yet effective practices.

Here are a few ideas to get you started.  After reading this, go grab your journal, a cup of tea and go to town, adding to this list!

Here’s to your best year yet!

• Do. Your. Very. Best.  Of course it’s important to choose how to spend your time and decide who, where and what you want to pour your energy into, but here’s the thing.  If you really want to succeed and feel great about what you are doing, whether that’s making the bed, washing the dishes or writing your first novel, whatever you do, put your all into it!

• Be. Present. That means showing up and being fully present – no matter what you are doing.  That means when you are out to dinner with someone, you don’t text, tell them to go on because really, you are listening.  That means when you are working, you turn OFF your e-mail alerts and fully focus on what you are doing.  Being present is one of the greatest gifts you can give yourself and others. 

• Choose. Wisely.  You see, time is all we really have.  We are all given the same 24 hours in the day.  We can choose to fritter that time away on things we don’t really care about, spend it with people we don’t really want to be with, get involved with things that detract us from our true desires and needs.  So guard your precious time with your life and be pickier than ever about what you do and don’t commit to.

• Say. No. In order to do your best, show up and spend your time doing what you really want and need to be doing, you’ll have to get comfortable with the word NO.  And no doesn’t have to be a negative.  You don’t have to say no to things and people in a harsh way.  “I’d love to join you, but I promised myself that I’d spend a few hours today gardening.”  (Or writing, or spending time with the kids, or whatever it is you want to insert here.) Setting boundaries is a very empowering and liberating thing to do!

• Say. Yes. After learning how to say no, it’s critical that you learn to say YES!  Hell yes!  But yes, to the right things.  Yes to growth.  Yes to taking great care of yourself.  Yes to moving out of your comfort zone and doing the amazing things you are put here to do.  Yes to being your kindest and best self possible.  Yes to being you!  The real authentic and amazing you!

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

XOXOX

Vivienne & Andrew