What does a new year mean to you? Does it mean a new start? It has been a long-standing tradition to make resolutions to change our habits from the previous year. It can feel like we are being forced to change who we are at the start of each new year.
Because we are led to believe we have to change the core of who we are, I have always felt that making and keeping resolutions is such a daunting and overwhelming task. By definition, a resolution means, “A firm decision to do or not to do something.”
As I am writing this, I realise that the more I talk about and worry about a goal or task, the larger and more arduous it becomes. Simply re-reading the definition of resolution makes it seem quite simple: Just make a decision to make a different choice.
Choose one word
As author Gretchen Rubin suggests in her podcast, “Happier with Gretchen Rubin,” choose one word for the coming year that you would like to have as your overarching theme for that year. Examples that she shared in podcast # 201, “Choose a One-Word Theme for the Year” included upgrade, bigger, lighten up, repurpose and delegate. I really like the idea of choosing one word or term as an overarching theme for the year because, as it becomes planted in my subconscious, it will become what drives my decisions in all aspects of my life.
Good health
For 2019, I choose “Good Health.” I want every choice I make to have a positive impact on my health. And this means good health for my body, my mind, my relationships, my business, and my finances. How do I know if a choice is good for my health? I listen to my body. I listen to my heart. My body tells me if something is right or wrong for me. If an answer is, “Yes,” I have a warm, comforting feeling in my chest. If the answer is “No,” then I get a sick feeling in my stomach. As I am writing this, I am realising that in order for me to live in Good Health, I shall listen more closely to the messages my body gives me. And, most importantly, to act on those messages. Does a choice give me a positive feeling? Then I will proceed. Does that choice or option give me a negative feeling? Then I will say, “No, thank you.”
And, that, my friends is good self-care. Because I have chosen ‘Good Health‘ for 2019, I know that every decision I make in the coming year will be driven by the question I ask myself, “Is this action helpful to my well-being?”
What one word or term captures what you want the year to hold for you?
Whichever word or term you choose, I wish you good health, prosperity, and good fortune.
About the author: To find out more about Julie Ostrow, please click here.