As another year and another decade come to a close, I am filled with gratitude for the year behind, and I am looking forward to the year ahead.
So many big, exciting things have happened this year — but at this time of year, I’m reminded of the importance of celebrating all wins, no matter how small.
I’ve also been thinking about how important it is to set intentions for the New Year. Especially when it comes to our health, it’s critical to assess where we are at, find where we want to be, and figure out how to get there.
In the spirit of the new year and 2020, here’s a quick breakdown of how I like to close out the year — and make plans for the next one.
First, reflect with gratitude
Have you heard the adage, “what we focus on, grows”? Well, it’s true!
When we focus on negative things, we tend to receive negative outcomes. More negativity.
And when we focus on positive things…we get more of the same.
Gratitude has even been scientifically proven to be linked to happiness. When we’re thankful for the things we have and the things we’ve done, we get happier.
And happy people are healthy people. Studies show that people who are happier are more likely to eat healthier, exercise more, and even sleep better.
This is why it’s so important to celebrate wins — they snowball into larger victories and they make you feel good.
Even if you’ve only lowered your blood pressure by a few points this year, go ahead and mark it down as a win. If you lost just 1 pound this year, that’s still an achievement!
Start thinking about all of the positive things you’ve been able to accomplish in the face of adversity this year.
Then let that momentum and positivity keep driving you forward.
Let it go
Once you’ve taken stock of all the things you’ve done — and created an environment that fosters the opportunity for more goodness to appear…it’s time to let some things go.
What do I mean by this?
Simply to start considering all of the things you’re ready to say “no” to this year.
It’s just as important as thinking about all of the things you want to say “yes” to.
Want to really focus on your physical fitness? You may just have to say no to working late so you can hit the gym on the way home.
Or maybe you want to get serious about changing your diet…you might have to say no to stopping by the drive-thru.
No matter what your particular vices are, when you say no to things of a lower nature, you’re saying yes to yourself and things of a higher nature.
Only when you make space and choose yourself can you truly get moving on those goals.
Set intentions for the New Year
OK, now that you’ve decided what you are not going to continue to do, it’s time to decide what you do want.
And go for it.
When you set an intention, it’s a powerful way to take control of your year (or day, week, month, however you prefer to do it). Instead of allowing the year to just sort of happen to you, you declare what you want.
I find this process works best when I focus first on my internal health and spirituality. Then I like to think about the more external results I’d like to achieve.
It doesn’t really matter how you go about this, but there are a few helpful guidelines to follow here:
- Be as specific as possible — when you create specific intentions, it’s easier to evaluate whether they’ve come to fruition or not. Also, when you get specific, it allows you to focus on the thoughts, feelings, and experiences you’re trying to achieve.
- Think big — now’s not the time for playing small. Think about how you want to be, what you want to do, and what you want to have. Don’t dwell in the realm of possibility here. Focus on what comes up in your heart and mind and allow them to guide you. What you want for yourself is possible. Don’t let how it might happen stop you from dreaming.
- Create a ritual — when working on intention setting for the year, don’t just sit down, all frazzled after holiday shopping or a crazy party. Relax, and get into a good headspace. Turn on some soothing music, take a bubble bath or sit outside and breathe in some fresh air. This is the plan for how you want your year to go, after all, so don’t rush it.
After you’ve gotten your intentions clear, write them down. You’ll probably want to revisit them throughout the year.
And if you see a common theme running through the goals you’ve written down, why not try tying them together with a single word? If you choose a word to guide you throughout the year, you can use this word over and over to bring you back to your intentions quickly and easily.
Bring on 2020
The new year is so full of hope and excitement — it’s truly a time to embrace change, close the book on any difficult chapters, and remind ourselves of just how much we have to be thankful for.
One final tip — Want to really supercharge your goals? Then write them down and share them with a friend. Accountability has been shown to significantly increase the likelihood that your goals will actually come to fruition.
Feeling really brave? Post them to Instagram and tag me so I can cheer you on.
And if you’re wondering if I can help you to define and reach those health goals, I’d love to talk. You can schedule an appointment with me here.
References
“Giving thanks can make you happier – Harvard Health.” https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier.
“Link between healthy lifestyle and psychological well … – NCBI.” 3 Apr. 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5387968/.
“Positive affect, psychological well-being, and good sleep. – NCBI.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18374740.
“Study focuses on strategies for achieving goals, resolutions”
https://www.dominican.edu/dominicannews/study-highlights-strategies-for-achieving-goals
