Setting life resolutions shouldn’t be only for the New Year

New Year’s resolutions are the perfect opportunity to reflect on what you want to achieve in the next few months of your life.

For all those who are set to start making the changes that they said they would make next week, next month, or perhaps when winter starts, now is as good a time as any!

You now have a chance to sit down and prepare a list of important lifestyle changes you want to make.

I am skeptical to say resolutions are only meant for once a year. But, why only January?

Setting a goal can be done at anytime and at any point you are ready to make them.

Ask yourself these questions:

• Have I set those goals that I can achieve, or possibly to not?

• Have I set a realistic goal/s?

• What are the obstacles/challenges I faced?

The pandemic and the lockdowns have brought lots of challenges to all of us.

To keep a positive spirit, to keep up the motivation and continuation of life, might feel hard work but it is possible.

For those people who are alone, it is harder than in normal time.

During this pandemic it is twice as hard. Here are some ideas to help you out:

Connect to community

Say “hey, I am not ok today” let people hear you.

Can you see the beauty of that?

You see some idea emerging, it gives you hope.

This idea will work for you if you grasp it and apply it when you are ready.

This shouldn’t be only New Year’s resolution, this can be anytime in a year, remember be kind to yourself and accept when it is the right time for you.

Reaching out is a sign of strength.

You’ll be helping yourself and possibly the people you reach out to, who might be feeling the same way or similar to how you are feeling through the current climate.

Take a Financial Self-Assessment

One strategy I use is to ask myself “What did I spend money on that gave me joy?”

I looked at spending money on good courses and benefits my career and leads to increase my income.

On the other end of the spectrum, where did I spend money that I eventually regretted?

Was it the clothes I bought that would not need? Could I have been content with what I already have?

Did I buy or do something for my family they didn’t appreciate at all?

How can I change that?

(Maybe asking them for what they need and checking for what I really need…)

Self-care and reflection on my needs

A great resolution to keep for always, and not for January resolutions only, is how we look after ourselves.

For example, I reflect on who I enjoy being with. Who in my life leaves me with feeling “ah-ha that was so nice, we’ll have to do it again soon”.

I looked at the things said to me in the past that I didn’t like, and didn’t speak up for myself.

Why do I still continue to go back and see them or meet them?

Learning what feels right, and what is right for you, when you are in the company of others is key in getting the relationships that will nurture you rather than hinder you.

Sometimes family and friends are very important to be around and yet they can make you so invisible. Choose wisely.

The Pandemic made me sit with myself and feels those moments, and noticing how unhealthy some people are for my life, I figured out new ways to deal with those relationships, how to re-apply the boundaries, and therefore how to be kinder to myself.

I hope these insights into my new year (and ongoing) resolutions helps you to think about what you’d like the next months of your life to look like.

If you need help figuring this out, please get in touch for counselling, and we can figure this out together.