Happy New Year and WELCOME to the 2023 version of the Eating your Cake too podcast and blog!
In our first blog article for the year, I’ll be sharing a couple of key reminders that I had last year, as well as some of the things that I am choosing to let go of this year.
Why I Don’t Believe in New Year’s Resolutions
“I’m going to take better care of my health this year,” “I’m going to get fit this year”, “I’m going to excel in my field this 2023” – a lot of people make New Year’s resolutions every year like clockwork. Enter February, and 80% of these resolutions have failed. Personally, I’ve let go of the idea of New Year’s resolutions – and this concept that we only set goals once a year on the first day of a new year – a long time ago. Why?
I’m a big believer that we need to continually review our goals, not just one day a year, but consistently. What do you care about? Where do you want to go? What do you believe in? What are you passionate about? And, how are your day-to-day actions and habits helping you get there?
Don’t wait until the first of January to decide you’re going to kick it off. If you know that you need to take your health or your wellness more seriously, start today. Don’t wait until the start of a new year to decide when you’re going to implement a change. We aren’t guaranteed anything in life, so start TODAY.
Instead of making new year’s resolutions, I choose to have a word or a theme that I want to represent my year. A north star, or a grounding point, if you will. This allows you to come back to centre at any point in time if you feel like you’ve gone off track.
Word for 2023: Space
Last year, my keyword was “momentum” and this year, my theme is space. For 2023, I want to focus on how I can create more space in my life to just be.
I got so caught up last year in doing – hustle, hustle, hustle, get it done, and being constantly on the go – that I didn’t allow enough space to just sit with no plans, no agenda, nowhere to be, and be able to enjoy my own space.
So for 2023, I want to create more space to just be: to reflect, to enjoy my hobbies, and to create more space to only be taking on work with clients that I really want to work with. I want to create more space to only be doing the work that really lights me up; only doing the work that I really feel driven and passionate about and that I can truly make a difference in. I want to create more space to reflect on my long-term goals. And so, the question I’ll be asking myself this year as opportunities continue to come up is: Does this opportunity create space for me, or, does it take away space from me?
If you’re somebody who’s sitting there thinking: “I don’t have any new year’s resolutions,” “I don’t know what my goals are yet,” “I don’t know what my word for 2023 is” etc., don’t worry! Here are some questions to ask yourself to help you come up with your own keyword or theme to represent how you want to show up this year:
- What word would best represent the year I am trying to create for myself?
- Once you’ve decided what that word might be, consider: What are some of the intentions, actions, behaviours, and attitudes that need to hang off that word, in order for me to really live into it?
3 Key Reminders For 2023
Here are three key reminders that I had last year that I wanted to share with you in the hope that it might also inspire or ignite something in you:
- No one will tell you to stop. No one but YOU is going to tell you to stop; to take a step back, to take on less work, and to say no to things. YOU have to be the one who does that. No one is going to tell you to stop, you have to be the one that sets that boundary for yourself.
- Life is long, and life is short. So, plan like you’ll live a long time, but live every day as if you won’t. Personally, I want to live my life with a plan; with things that I want to achieve, and a plan ultimately, to enable me to achieve them, and goals and things that I aspire to as if I’m going to live a beautifully long and happy and healthy life. However, in the event that I don’t, I want to also make sure that I’m living every day; that in case I don’t wake up tomorrow, I’d still be really proud of the life that I achieved, the way I treated the people I love, and that every person in my life knew how I felt about them.
- Own lane, own race, own time. We live in a world where we are constantly being marketed to; having things rammed down our throats – have this, do this, buy this, own this. It can be really easy, particularly when you have those moments of self-doubt, to look around you at what everybody else is doing, and feel like you’re behind; like what you’re doing isn’t enough. But the reality is: we all live on different timelines. So remind yourself - own lane, own race, own time – the universe will deliver for you on your timeline in whatever way that looks like.
The Bottom Line
So, that is a little bit from me to get the year started, why I don’t do New Year’s resolutions, and why instead I choose to theme my year with a keyword that I want it to represent. I also invite you to think about how you might be able to do the same. Good luck and let me know what you come up with!
P.s If your focus for 2023 is around your career and leadership aspirations, then don’t wait - join our waitlist for the 6-week online Transform your Career Accelerator and ensure that your 2023 is one where you take control of your career and leadership success!