Starting the Year Off Right, Going in With Momentum and Saying Screw It to Resolutions

Happy New Year by SewPixie

How?

Well, you may have noticed that I did not do a “Happy New Year” post. That is definitely a good way to start the year, at least for me, by not actually acknowledging it.

And no, that was not a joke.

I know, that probably sounds a bit insane to some, but it is a big part of my belief system. People put too much stock in the while new year, new me, new world supposed reboot. It really is bull. When you wake up on Jan 1st, all the problems, challenges, struggles, achievements, and so on that existed the year before are still there. And better yet, your desire or ability to deal with things, whether good or bad, are still the same.

Yell and protest all you want, but it is true.

New Year’s resolutions? They are usually broken. All the grand statements? Forgotten soon enough.

So, am I being a New Years Scrooge?

No, but I am being a realist. True change happens when you are ready and able to affect said change, not when the calendar flips over. Truth is, nothing happens, whether good or bad until you shift your pain vs. pleasure response. In other words, when you are truly sick and tired of being sick and tired, you will get into shape. Until then you will find ways to medicate the pain of being out of shape away, putting the pain on health rather than being unhealthy. Finances, same thing. Scared of asking for a promotion or trying something new? Ditto. Until the pain shifts to inaction as opposed to action, you will be stuck.

There is nothing a calendar can do to help with this.

So, am I looking at this year with doom and gloom?

Hell no! I figure this will be a great year for Effie and I. Our trick is to go in with momentum. We started to tackle the things that were wrong, uncomfortable, or just nagging months before the New Year. We understood that to make the changes we need to make, we had to make them for the right reasons, not just some time appointed paper days reboot. (paper days? Watch AbFab for that one)

It is not too late for you, but you need to be honest with yourself. This year can be your best as well, but not just because of a date change. If you need to make changes, or do that thing you continuously put off, or anything really, you just need to get to work. Write down your goals. Ask yourself the why’s behind everything. Create action plans. As I said, be honest. (Just a hint, if you are totally comfortable, or even somewhat comfortable, you are not doing things right. Being honest with yourself is not comfortable, but it is powerful.)

So there you go, the trick is to move forward, but for the right reasons with honest motivations.

Here at RfL, things are moving forward. I am not giving anything away, but things moving in a very positive direction. I can give this hint, things are going in a different direction than I originally thought, but that is a good thing.

Ah, that is one more element to add to your action plan. Always be flexible. Just because things morph from your original vision does not mean things are not moving forward. Often things get better as they change, even action plans.

I can give one more hint about RfL. From now on, things will be much more about my vision, having fun, and good friends, and a lot less about who holds my damn contract. On that you can bank!

No longer will people with opposing, and often damaging views, influence my work.

Now let’s all kick ass this year.

Cheers,
Eban