New Year's Resolutions are a tricky thing. It is so easy to come up with a list of things that I think I should work on. There are things that friends and family have told me I need to change. There are things that I don't like about myself that I want to change. And there are the endless lists of things that "experts" have told me I need to change.
It starts with the basics: diet and exercise. We all know that we need a better diet and more exercise. It doesn't matter what your diet is or how much exercise you do, there is always room for improvement in this area. Next there are habits that need to be broken: for all the alcoholics, workaholics, neat freaks, and obsessive compulsives out there, this is easier said than done. We all have things in our lives that need to be changed but after years of trying, they seem impossible to actually change. Finally, we get to the deeper issues of life: the relationship problems, the spiritual questions, the soul searching. These problems, while they need an answer, are not so easy to fix.
If all of this talk of Resolutions is getting you down or leaving you feeling lost and overwhelmed; don't be afraid. First of all, you don't have to change everything all at once. Pick one or two things that you really want to change (big or small) and focus on those. Next, you need to LifeWalk your resolutions with someone who will help you to come to a Move Forward Solution. Sound too easy to be true? It's not.
Over the next few weeks I will talk to you about finding a LifeWalking partner and coming to a Move Forward Solution. This week all you have to do is pick one or two resolutions that you would like to work on in the coming year. Easy enough?
- Make your list as long as you would like to start and then narrow it down to one or two to focus on.
- Then, tune in next week when I will tell you how to find a LifeWalking partner to work with.
- Now, go and have a great time celebrating the New Year!!!
Last week I encouraged you to prioritize your life this holiday season. Think about the things that matter most and make a point to get those things done. This week I want to talk to you about planning. Priorities are great but, without a good plan to execute those priorities, you will fail to meet them.
With Christmas just a few days away, I am sure that you are overwhelmed with a million things that need to be done. Once you have prioritized those things that are most pressing, you need to execute a plan to ensure that they all get done.
You may be a detail person; for you it might be a minute-by-minute plan of each day from now until Christmas. If you are like me, a more general plan might be in order. I determine how much I think I can accomplish each day (realistically). Then I schedule the 5-10 things that I will do.
It doesn't matter what kind of plan you make; it matters that you make a plan. Once you have made your plan, do your best to stick to it. Push yourself to live up to your own expectations. However, if you are unable to stick to it, give yourself a little grace. Maybe your plan was a little too ambitious. Other things might have suddenly come up making it impossible for you to successfully execute your plan. That's O.K. The important thing is to make a plan and try to stick to it.
Make a plan to get yourself through the next few days and weeks. Do your best to execute that plan. Hopefully it will help you to accomplish all of your goals while keeping your stress at a manageable level.
One of the best ways to be successful is to prioritize. This week I want you to focus on your priorities. What matters most to you? What things on your to do list are the most pressing? Stop, take a moment, and answer those two questions.
The first question is very important. What really matters to you? Is it your family? Is it friends? What friends specifically matter the most?
I used to live in California, a long way from Colorado where I grew up. When I would come home for the holidays, there was a long list of things to do, places to go, and people to see. I had limited time to do it all. It was impossible in a short visit. After a few frustrating trips home, I decided to start prioritizing. What things were the most important? What places did I want to be sure not to miss? What people were the most important ones to see?
Once I had my priorities straight, it was easy. I made sure to schedule a time for each of them. I saw all of the people and went to all of the places that really mattered to me. Everything else on my list was a maybe. If I saw those friends who weren't a priority or went to that store that I loved in high school, great. If I didn't have the time, oh well. I took care of the things that really mattered.
The next question is equally important. What things are the most pressing? If we don't pay our bills, it doesn't matter that we spent time with all of our dearest friends. If we show up at a party without the dessert that we promised to bring, we let down the people who were counting on us to bring it.
It is equally important to make space in your life for those things that can't be put off. I can procrastinate with the best of them but there are some things that just need to be done. As you create your list of priorities, make a note of these things and make space for them as well.
Surviving and thriving through the holiday season really can be as simple as prioritizing your life. If you know what needs to be done and you know what really matters to you, you can make space for those things first. Everything else is just gravy.
Take time this week to examine your priorities. Make sure that you do all of the things that really matter.
I don't know about you, but, for me, this time of year can be quite challenging. I often feel overworked, overtired, and overwhelmed. There is always so much to do. There is decorating, baking, parties, shopping, and all of my regular responsibilities that still need to be tended to.
It often gets me down. I allow myself to let things slide during this season. I let the diet go, don't work out as much, and try not to worry that my pants are feeling a little tight. I put off the organizational projects that I want to do at home. And I allow my goals for personal growth and development slide. I tell myself that it doesn't matter because that's just what happens during the holidays. I promise myself that I will get everything under control once again in January.
But what if I didn't have to do the hard work of backtracking and regaining ground that I had already conquered? What if I could enjoy this time of year without completely losing control of who I am and what I want for my life?
It is my belief that it is possible to enjoy the holiday season and all its spoils without spoiling the progress that you have made in the past months. You can find a Move Forward Solution that will allow you to have your holiday fun without neglecting the growth that you have achieved.
It takes three simple steps:
- Prioritize it
- Plan it
- Put it into action
Over the next few weeks I will walk you through this process. However, for this week, start with your priorities. What matters most to you? Make a plan to take care of your priorities in order. Then put that plan into action. Go out and live your Move Forward Solution.
Tune in next week for more tips for surviving the holidays.
Enjoy the Season!
You have finally reached the tenth week of the Girlfriend's Life Survival Club! Hopefully you made some good progress in achieving your goals. I am sure that you fell short in a few areas. We all do. The important thing is that you did it. You completed the ten-week journey. You supported your friends. You learned something about yourself and you experienced some growth.
Now it is time to celebrate. We are in the holiday season now and celebration is something that we are all doing. It is important to celebrate. We need to look back and see how far we have come. We need to congratulate each other and ourselves on the progress that we have made. Changing your life isn't easy and you deserve to celebrate the success that you have had.
Make time this week to celebrate with your girlfriends. Let them know how much they mean to you. Tell them the ways that they have helped you to grow. Let them know the growth that you have seen in their lives.
Whatever you do this week, find a way to celebrate how far you all have come. Go to dinner, go out dancing, treat yourselves to a massage.
Congratulations on completing the Girlfriend's Life Survival Club.
