Where the heck did 2017 go? It feels like just yesterday that we were welcoming it, now we’re wrapping it up. Holy shit!
2017 for me was a year full of change, learning and transition. Not that they all haven’t been that, in their own way, but this year was decidedly different, handing me circumstances that I hadn’t dealt with before and really had to get my head around.
In other words, I had to be aware of the constant movement that kept kicking me out of my comfort zone. I had to let go of those old pajama pants to understand where I could adjust them to feel comfortable again. I probably don’t have to tell you that putting up walls, questioning the whys and hows of change, and avoiding doing the work to make oneself feel better are not the best strategies for managing change when it gets shoved in your face.
I’ll get into the specifics of my change in a later post, but right now, I want to check in with you about your New Year.
So often we, as busy do-all women, dread the beginning of a new year. After all, the world considers it the biggest of new beginnings. The time where it seems that every other person in the world is planning, setting goals, and getting ready to kick their own asses. If that’s not you, not your style, not your way of creating shifts in your life, or you have been there so many times and not followed through, you’re likely to feel like shit about yourself. And that sucks.
I’ve said every single year since I started blogging and I will repeat it again, January 1st means nothing.
It’s just an arbitrary date that has a ton of social expectations associated with it. Expectations that don’t have to be your’s. Rules and structures set by others don’t mean crap to you and what you need, they only add more pressure and set you up for failure.
I’m not saying that deciding that your life needs to change in some area, and making plans for how to make that change happen, is not super important. It totally is! I wouldn’t be a coach if I didn’t believe that knowing what makes you cry, laugh, be happy, or not so happy, feel joy, or want to scratch someone’s eyes out, and making plans to have the experiences you want, was the path to getting to them.
But do me a favour?
Take a minute to shake off the social expectations that screw with your happy. Breathe deep.
Acknowledge that you are ok wherever you are and with whatever you decide to do with your future. And that has diddly-shit to do with the date on the calendar.
Stop sweating this stuff.
Is there inner work to be done to figure out what you want to change up for the coming months? For sure.
But all you really need to do to start the process, now or in July, is to think about how you want to feel this year.
That’s all.
How do you want to feel this year? Tweet that.
One word, one final holiday gift to yourself.
Start there, honey. Just start there.
Even if it seems weird…
One last thing.
No matter what you are doing, when you are doing it, or what you may or may not be struggling with…
You are worthy of having the life you want.
And, some time this 2018, I wish you the strength to give yourself that.