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New Year… New Opportunities… New Excitement! Time to take things up a notch – take it to the next level. So, as we say ‘hello’ to the New Year, let’s take a deep breath and get ready. 2023 has all the makings of an historically great year – for each and every one of us. That is, if we approach it with the right mindset. A positive ‘can do’ mentality that sees opportunity in every adversity; that believes dreams really can come true; and starts with the point of view that there is no such thing as a problem that cannot be solved. Onwards and upwards!
So as we approach this New Year, as we have done in years past, we tend to look back on the previous year in order to better understand the significance of all that we’ve experienced, while we look to the year ahead to explore and maybe even dream about what we hope becomes reality. The beginning of a new year inspires us to think of new beginnings, how we can make positive changes in order to live a better more purposeful life. It can feel like the perfect moment for a fresh start. As the American inventor Charles Kettering once said, “Every time you tear a leaf off a calendar, you present a new place for new ideas and progress.”
The thing about the new year, and the changes we seek, is that we all tend to feel we must make resolutions and accomplish them right away. Whether we want to shed some pounds, start a new project, travel to places we haven’t been and more, when we set resolutions and look to these new beginnings, we must also remember that something truly worth having rarely comes without effort and a bit of patience. We’ve probably all had resolutions we’ve set and failed to see through. It’s estimated that only 46 percent of the resolutions people set on January 1st are still being sought after by the end of January. And far fewer survive the entire year. Changing routines and habits takes more than just setting an intention, it takes consistent action and maybe even a few setbacks.
New beginnings come in many shapes and sizes, and truthfully do not require the new year either. Each and every day throughout the year is a point in time when we can take these actions and it’s important to remember this if we feel like we’ve fallen behind on our goals. And let’s be honest, change is always hard. We are creatures of habit by nature. When we want a fresh start or a new beginning, it’s important we both do not sell ourselves short by continuing to believe in ourselves, while of course, also being realistic with what we can achieve in the short term, but with a bigger, long-term vision.
So, how can you take action to create your new beginning this year? Like we’ve discussed here in the Sunshine Report, making small gains each and every day is how we make noticeable progress in the long term. Setting smaller resolutions that we can achieve can help our belief system, the more we check off and are able to celebrate, the more confident we grow to take on bigger challenges. It’s also important we check in with ourselves regularly.
Perhaps a goal in the short term is unrealistic because of your schedule or commitments. Reassessment is so abundantly important. And it doesn’t mean failure, it’s simply a way to assess what’s possible in the present. It’s also a great way to track your progress. And lastly, it’s important that we’re patient and kind with ourselves. We’re often our toughest critics and when we use defeating language like “I’m not good enough” or “why do I even bother” because we fell behind or didn’t achieve something as quickly as we wanted to, it can stop us from moving forward.
The famed banker JP Morgan had a great philosophy on new beginnings, stating, “the first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” As we go into 2023, remember throughout this year that whether it’s January 1st or July 1st, we can decide each and every day to begin anew. Happy New Year to all!
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