“New Year, New You!” Really?
As the new year approaches, we are confronted with a barrage of voices telling us we have to change. NOW!
We have to start exercising NOW. Start eating better NOW. Start working on our goals NOW. And if we don’t start now, we should feel shame as we watch everyone else go out and get what life has to offer. And if we start and stop, we are failures, and we probably didn’t really want it anyway.
Well, that’s just bullshit.
Why is “the new year” the time to start anew? Is it simply because someone told us it’s the right time? What about what we feel? What if NOW isn’t the right time to join a gym? Or start practicing yoga? Or start writing that novel? What if now is the time to rest our weary bones and think about what we really want as opposed to what this mixed up world is telling us we want?
I think it’s perfectly fine to accept where we are in life and not push ourselves beyond our capabilities and finances when we are not ready. Does that mean you shouldn’t have goals or new year resolutions? Of course not! You definitely should have goals. You should aspire to continue growing into the best you that you can possibly be. On your terms. At your own pace.
Maybe you have a ton of things to handle and February is the perfect time for you and your support person to start working out together. Maybe you don’t have time to start meal prepping for the week, but you can pack your lunch every night. Maybe, like me, you are gearing up for a big life change and the thought of adding something new to the mix makes you want to punch the nearest person in the face. (Don’t do it!)
NOW is what you make it. Don’t feel pressured into making life changes that you are not comfortable making. When the time is right, you will feel so much more motivated and determined to see it through.
Instead of following the crowd, take this time to reflect on who you are as a person. What have you accomplished this year? In what areas of your life would you like to see improvements? What do you need to do to get there? When is an ideal time to start? Are there small steps you can start taking? Is there someone to support you when you are ready to do the damn thang? Set aside time to dream and plan.
And when the time is right, go for it with everything you’ve got!
–from The “Keep It Light, Love” Newsletter: Volume 1, Issue 2, December 2016
Keep It Light, Love 