Well, hello there, January.
After an unintentional hiatus, it’s time to talk “New Year New You” (the myth) and challenge that limiting perception.
The coming of a new year often seems almost magical, the way people describe it. With the goal setting, and recovery after the holidays, and in general reduced overwhelm (from family gathering after family gathering) maybe it does have a lot to offer.
However, just because the calendar changes doesn’t mean you will.
Challenging the New Year New You Myth
Change can happen at any point, regardless of what the calendar says … and lack of change can occur just as (if not more) easily.
In fact, most people DON’T keep their resolutions, and if you jump on that train just because a new year rolled around, you might be unfortunate enough to fall into the same category.
It’s not all bad news, though.
All that means is, you DON’T have to wait for the new year to roll around to transform yourself and your life. Just remember that the focus should be on you – because you are the only person you have the ability to change.
Celebrating a “Mini New Year”
If you love the excitement each New Year brings, consider celebrating a “mini New Year” as a (potentially) more helpful alternative.
All this means is, whenever you choose (set the same range each time so you stay consistent), you review and “reset” for the next range of time.
Sound confusing? Let me break it down in an example.
I like to celebrate a mini New Year each month, but you could also do each quarter. So each month, around the same time each month, I like to review my goals, set new ones, and plan for accomplishing the tasks I have before me.
Each month works great for this, because it’s close enough together to not be overwhelming, but far enough apart that I have time to actually have something to look back on and work through.
It’s also a great way to stay on track with your goals, instead of falling for the New Year new you myth and forgetting your goals as soon as January is over.
As an aside, if you like to set big goals but have trouble staying on track with them, consider Using a Planner to Reach Big Goals – the method I use for staying on track and accomplishing my goals – New Year or not.
Do you set New Year’s resolutions, ignore them entirely, or set goals throughout the year? Let me know in the comments below!
Christian, wife, “hybrid” mama, I run the site All Behind A Smile to help others like me.
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