Hello everyone!
I hope everyone is wonderful weekend and is prepared for the week ahead. Sometimes it can be tough to get into the new week because we may be stressed, unhappy or overwhelmed from the prior week. Trust me, we’ve all been there. You know what can be even more stressful? Starting out the New Year with all of these hopes and dreams and feeling totally overwhelmed.
Here we are almost a full month into the New Year. I was watching The Ellen DeGeneres Show this morning and she explained that it is known that people are most unhappy at this time of the New Year because we have made all of these resolutions and alas…nothing is happening.
So where are you?
Are you lost? In serious need of a map or GPS to get you back on track? Fear not my friend because we can figure this out together.
In a previous blog I talked about taking one step at a time. And I really did mean that! Everyone starts the New Year saying, “I’m going to lose 50 pounds this year!”. Or, “I’m going to make double my income this year!” Then we stare in mirror and we still see that weight we want to lose. Then we log onto our bank account and still see the same numbers. A part of us wants to just throw our arms up in the air and say, “Well damn! This just isn’t working. I give up!” If I set goals like that for myself right off the bat then I would be sharing in that “well damn” attitude as well.
This is such a common pattern amongst our society that it is now a recognized time in this month that we are unhappy. Now there is definitely something wrong with that. Let’s get RE-motivated! We all read the blogs, articles and speeches at the beginning of the year about being so happy and focused in the year. Well, now we are here and we are frustrated, lost and getting off track.
Here is a checklist that will be our personal GPS to get us back on track for success in the New Year!
1. Take small bites.
To change our lives we need to change how we choose our words. Instead of saying you want to lose 50 pounds say you want to lose 5 pounds. Or say you want to be active at least three times a week. Again, it’s all about how you frame your goal in your mind. If you put this huge goal in your path then you leave no other option then to just go around it and give up .Set little milestones for you to accomplish. Not only will you feel great, you will be getting things done!
2. Find your joy.
People also put on their resolution list to “be happy” or “enjoy life”. But what does that mean? So FIRST get specific about what the whole be happy resolution is about. Just to remind you there is no quick fix in life; including happiness. There is no happy juice or perfect world where happiness floats down from the sky. But rather happiness is a CHOICE and only you can make that choice. I believe in order to feel fulfilled and to make our resolutions a reality we need to find our joy. Whether that be spending time with friends, treating yourself or taking a designated time a day to have “you” time.
3. Keep it real.
Set a realistic goal for you! If you are wanting to double your income, get a plan together. Waiting by the mailbox for the lottery check to come in is not the wisest strategy to getting what you want. Maybe doubling your income isn’t realistic to where you are at the moment. But we can ALL make wise money decisions so our money is working for us and not the other way around. Same thing with finding our joy. It would be unrealistic to say that you were going to happy all day, everyday, no matter what and that you will never get down. Now, we can be happy every single day but it may not be all day every single day. Bottom line, look at where you are and make a goal that is fitting for you and that isn’t going to consume your life.
So there we are. We are going to take small steps, find our “joy factor” and keep it real. This will help us KEEP us going whether crashing and burning within the first three weeks of the New Year. Nothing is impossible if you get focused on what you want and keep motivated. I believe we can all do it!
Have a great week all!
~Ava
Quote of the day:
“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.”
– Helen Keller
Ava Wick is a contributing blogger for JenningsWire, a blogging community created by Annie Jennings.
