Maybe you caught your boyfriend making out with someone else under the mistletoe, or you were blindsided by holiday budget cuts at work. Whatever happened, a particular unhappy holiday season can make the New Year look pretty bleak. But it doesn't have to be that way. Right now you have a choice -- you can curl up under a blanket with a box of bon-bons and hibernate for the rest of winter, or you can move forward into the more powerful life you're meant to live.
Every ending is a chance for a brand new beginning with the best person in the world...YOU. So dust off the "gloomies" and give yourself a fab makeover. It's time to get moving toward a happier you. Here are some great tips to start 2014 off right:
REVAMP Your Feelings
Do you remember a time when you were having a great day and someone said how great you looked? Nothing changed except how you felt. Feelings are everything. A woman who feels beautiful looks beautiful. A woman who feels confident, looks confident. A woman who feels sexy... well, you get it. Now is a good time to give your feelings a reboot. How do you get there? Here's one way: Take a few minutes and focus on a great a trip you took, or how much you love to ski, or think of a time when you accomplished something that made you feel amazing. Now sit with that thought and feel like it's happening right now. It'll give your happiness level an instant boost.
REFRESH Your Thoughts
We can be our own worst critics, but negative self-talk only hurts you and shrinks your confidence. So silence that evil gremlin in your head that says you're not talented enough, smart enough, or pretty enough. It's time to swap out bad thoughts with good ones. So whenever a bad thought pops up say, "Stop," and kick it right out of your head. Replace it with a positive thought such as, "I am awesome." Keep this up and soon you'll flip that negative Nelly around.
REVISE Your Resolutions
Instead of making those grand New Year's resolutions, which usually fizzle out within the first few months (leaving you feeling guilty for the rest of the year), why not set daily intentions instead? For example: "I intend have a creative, productive day." "I intend to have a fun, enjoyable night out." I intend to have a relaxing, restful sleep." By setting your intension before your actions, you'll have more focus and clarity and achieve better results.
RESTORE Your "Me Time"
Self-care is where we go last, but it should be first on our daily list. Don't nix your meditation time or that massage appointment, because a last minute meeting has come up. The truth is, things will always come up. So be diligent about the time you carve out for yourself. Treat it like the most important meeting you'll have all week. By taking care of you first, you'll have more to give to others.
REPLAY Your Accomplishments
It's so easy for us to acknowledge others, but we don't often do it for ourselves. So make a self-acknowledgement list for those daily tasks you've crossed off your "to do" list. For example: "I acknowledge myself for writing five pages today." Or, "I acknowledge myself for cleaning out my closet." Or, "I acknowledge myself for working out." Write three to five acknowledgements per day and you'll gain incentive to accomplish those bigger goals.
REINVENT Your Routine
If you do the same thing over and over again, you're going to get bored. Routine kills motivation and can get you stuck in a rut. But one, simple change can refuel you. So shake things up. Challenge yourself to do something different. Take a class you've always wanted to take. Or, instead of meeting your girlfriends at the same restaurant, try a new place. Or, accept that blind date your friend's been bugging you about (just meet for coffee). By changing your routine, you'll be opening yourself up to new experiences.
RECEIVE Everywhere
I'm a giver. It's who I am. But sometimes I give and give at the expense of myself. Not good. When we give too much of our time and energy, it can leave us feeling depleted. Now is a great time for you to receive everywhere and anywhere in your life. Receive the compliment a friend gave you; receive the driver who let you in in heavy traffic, or a co-worker who picked up the lunch tab. And keep receiving all year long!
REWARD Yourself
Again, you probably gave a lot to others during the holidays, so now's the time to give something to yourself. You are special. You are unique. So whether it's that silver bracelet you've been eyeing all season, or rewarding yourself with a vanilla latte after you've finished a deadline, or a bubble bath after a long day, remember, you deserve it.
So step into this New Year knowing your possibilities are endless. Celebrate the amazing woman you are. It's a brand New Year for a brand new YOU.