New Year, Same You
New Year Same You
If you haven’t heard already- new year’s resolutions have a low rate of success. This is partly due to glorifying our future self – often forgetting that the distractions, struggles, and expectations of our current life will still be present in our future life. Additionally, we limit our potential through the form in which we are attempting to motivate ourselves. Typically, we consider what we don’t like about ourselves or our surroundings, and eagerly walk into the new year attempting to change (through shame) who we are, where we come from, or what we have been a part of. Though shame can be a motivator, research proves it doesn’t allow for lifelong change, but instead increases the original issue while tacking on a few more. So, with all that said, we may want to consider an alternative way to motivate ourselves this new year!
This new year’s attempt to connect with yourself differently and more intentionally, through a mindful activity: What Do You Need To Hold On To And Let Go Of? This activity allows you to define what you need and want to have in your life, while compassionately recognizing what you need to let go of or keep out.
Activity: Trace both hands on a piece of paper:
Shift over to the left hand – consider the things that have gotten in your way this year. Which activities, behaviors, reactions, choices, traits, and decisions can you make note of – these represent what you would like to let go of. While considering these attributes, represent them in the left hand (draw, list, journal). Give empathy and compassion to your struggles and difficult moments.
Shift over to the right hand– consider all the things you have done well this year that allowed you to feel fulfilled. Which activities, skills, achievements, accomplishments, traits, and decisions can you make note of – these represent what you want to hold onto. While considering these attributes, represent them in the right hand (draw, list, journal). Give praise and compassion to your hard work and authentic moments.
Digging Deeper: Provide yourself time to reflect on your work
- How strong is your boundary between what you want and don’t want in your life and does that boundary need to change?
- Which things have you already been able to work on and which ones would be new for you?
- Which things do you expect will be the hardest to let go of or keep out?
- How will your life or emotional well-being change if you are able to keep and/or let go of these things?
- What experiences and/or people have brought some of these things to your life?
- What are the next steps that you need to take to move toward having what you have represented?
