I'm going to be honest with you. I don't like January.
It's not about the post-holiday blahs. Or the freezing temperatures and shapeless parkas. (Although, to be fair, they certainly don't help the cause.)
The reason is this: It's a month heavy with the weight of reviewing, planning, and resolutions. Everywhere you look there's a tip about making 2016 "your best year yet."
The start of a new year is often about finding innovative ways to "fix" yourself.
Believing with renewed vigour, that only by going to the gym every single morning, will you be a happier, healthier, more fulfilled person. Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of regular physical fitness and its many benefits for body and soul, beyond firming those jiggly bits. The problem isn't the gym. It's that your resolutions aren't really about the gym, or the amount of sugar you do or don't eat for the next twelve months.
When we make resolutions, we package them up in fancy trappings. We create compelling reasons why certain parts of our lives have to change. Then we blaze into January with a fire under our soon-to-be-firm-from-daily-squats booty. But if you are a normal person, living a busy life, the fire usually fizzles out in a few weeks.
Why? Because your good intentions become just another thing to add to your already overbooked schedule and ridiculously long to-do list. At best, you fall into the rhythm of your tried-and-true coping strategies to get through the week. At worst, resolutions become one more way that you punish yourself for not getting it all done.
You don't need another resolution. What you need is to make time for yourself.
Look carefully at why you're considering your current list of resolutions. You'll probably notice that there's a common thread: feeling unwell, exhausted, and less than present in the day-to-day moments that mean the most to you.
Instead of blazing into the new year with a list of demands that could deplete your time and energy, why not try quietly slipping away for a restorative nap? Or a cup of tea and a good book?
Making time for yourself doesn't need to be complicated or time consuming. It's about simple acts. Putting aside your calendar and tasks for just a few minutes, and listening to what you really need instead.
Making time for yourself is rooted in the belief that you are important and should be cared for accordingly. It's a state of mind more than anything else.
And the best part is, when you are well-rested and replenished you won't need to "fix" yourself. You'll just go about the business of living your life to the fullest. You may even find that, without meaning to, you've lived your best year yet. No punishing resolutions required.
Yours in wellness,
Monica
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Monica Carota is a Self-Care Strategist supporting successful professional women who are exhausted from trying to do it all. Stressed out and quickly heading towards burn-out, they just can't seem to fit 'balance' into their already overbooked schedule. Monica helps them make time for themselves so they can be a great leader AND enjoy a full life.
With expertise in how our state of mind affects stress levels, and the rich philosophy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Monica brings a unique approach to wellness. Her guidance helps clients become calm, effective managers of their own life, both inside and outside of the office.
To find out more about Monica and how she supports busy professional women, go to: www.wellnessbymonica.com