"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new." — Socrates
Happy New Year!
I hope you enjoyed some time off and feel refreshed to begin a new year!
As I'm sure you're aware, this is a popular time of year for people to begin (or revisit) building new habits.
And if you are one of the many people who are considering making changes in 2023, I have a suggestion for you...
Before you get into the nitty gritty of setting SMART goals or downloading a new habit tracker,
⭐ Take a few minutes to choose ONE WORD that will serve as your "North Star" this year.
A word that encapsulates the changes you want to make and the version of yourself you want to become.
What kind of word should this be?
Well, there are no rules here but a positive character trait, is what most people land on.
How should you choose your word?
First, consider the changes you want to make in your life.
Maybe you want to be in better physical shape.
Maybe you want to have a more loving relationship.
Maybe you want to maintain better boundaries with work.
Then, brainstorm what positive character traits you would need in order to make those changes a reality.
For example:
If you want to be in better physical shape, you might need to be someone who is: disciplined, active or resilient.
If you want to have a more loving relationship, you might need to be someone who is: present, generous or vulnerable.
If you want to maintain better boundaries with work, you might need to be someone who is: assertive, confident or organized.
After compiling a short list of traits, narrow it down to one by asking yourself:
“Which character trait would most transform my life if I fully embodied it?”
Once you have your word, I encourage you to post it somewhere so that it stays top of mind (phone/desktop wallpaper, post-its, etc).
And then aim to BE that characteristic just a little bit more each day.
What's the benefit of choosing a "word of the year"?
⚖️ It allows for BOTH flexibility and consistency.
Let's say my word for 2023 is "present" and the habit I'm working on for the month of January is meditating for 10mins a day.
If I miss a daily meditation, I might feel like I've failed and that I've ruined any progress I made.
BUT, if I know that the bigger picture trait I'm working on is being present, I can still choose to practice that...just in a different way (say by eating my lunch mindfully, or giving my spouse my full attention as they tell me about their day).
So not only do I get to feel like I'm moving in the direction of my goals and staying consistent with my commitment, I'm also learning how to be mentally flexible (which is a necessary skill for breaking out of all-or-nothing style thinking).
It's really a win-win. 🙌
Next week I'll be sharing my word for 2023, but in the meantime I'd love to hear yours.
Shoot me an email and let me know what word will be YOUR North Star this year.
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