Valerie Buchman
Administrative Assistant
The champagne is poured. The lights are twinkling. There is an excitement in the air as we watch the clock countdown to midnight. As a new year begins, we feel a sense of hope and purpose as we embark upon a full year of newness.
Intertwined with those feelings, there may also be uncertainty in what the new year will bring. We are compelled to make resolutions and stick to them.
How do we make those potentially substantial changes in our lives and have the drive to “stay-the-course” amid those changes?
Write down your hopes/dreams/goals.
Writing down your dreams and goals puts thoughts to paper. It creates a visual reminder of what you want to attain; include any and everything!
No dreams or goals are too big for you to achieve. This process can help you to remain focused on what you ultimately want to accomplish.
“The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.” – Melody Beattie
Don’t listen to negative thoughts.
This can be your inner dialogue and external criticisms, as well. If there is a goal you are working towards, practice blocking out your own negative voice first.
This practice requires self-discipline, but the more you speak positively to yourself the easier it will become to stop listening to those voices critical of your plans.
Step out of your comfort zone.
We all enjoy the familiarity that a mundane day can bring, but if we truly want to create a new beginning, we have to realize that it will require us to step out of our comfort zones.
One way to step out of your comfort zone is by maintaining focus on what your goal is. This perspective is key in keeping the negative thoughts, (which will create fear) away.
The fear is what keeps us locked in our comfort zones. Dr. Elizabeth Lombardo, therapist and author of “Better Than Perfect” says, “We have such a huge fear of failure in our society, any new skill always feels awkward and stressful at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable it will be. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, is the key to overcoming this fear.”
Change is inevitable. It’s how we handle those changes and challenges that will continue to motivate us and move us forward to achieving our goals which will create our new beginnings.
Oscar Auliq-Ice said, “New beginnings are in order, and you are bound to feel some level of excitement as new chances come your way.”
In this new year let us resolve to celebrate ourselves. We should make a point of being proud of our own personal accomplishments, big and small as we navigate the journey to our new beginnings