How do you handle the dawn of a new year? Perhaps you party like there’s no tomorrow and suffer the consequences on January 1. Then you swear to turn over a new leaf immediately! Or, you make a list of “resolutions”, so many and so lofty you can’t possibly achieve them in 10 years, let alone 1. Maybe you feel anxious and stressed because you think this is the only time in a year you can start with a clean slate. One wrong move and you are doomed until January 1 rolls around again. And, what about the saying “New Year, New You”? If that’s your motto you are putting yourself under lots of pressure to change many things about Y-O-U fast!
LET'S STOP THE MADNESS
As I grow older and wiser I have found…
Having an alcoholic beverage is fine but moderation is the key.
Resolutions are so old school. Instead, think about one or two areas of your life that merit improvement.
Each new day is a clean slate. You don’t have to wait for a full trip around the sun to start anew!
New Year, New You should be banished forever. Being a wise goddess means you love yourself unconditionally but are always striving to be better in areas that matter to you.
Feel a bit better? I’m sensing the answer might not be a resounding yes. Are you stuck on improving an area of your life thing? Let’s dive in a bit deeper on the subject.
EVERY WOMAN NEEDS MORE SELF-CARE
Start with this being your number 1 area of improvement for the new year. Why?? Because lack of self-care is especially prevalent in women over the age of 50! The last person we give attention to is ourselves. We are natural caregivers. The words “I” and “Me” are considered selfish in our world. Day after day we do everything for everyone else in our stratospheres. There’s no time left for us. This might include working a full or part-time job, keeping the household fed, cleaning the house, laundry duty, being the caregiver to elderly or sick parents, planning all the family gatherings and girls’ nights out, hosting all the holidays and on and on. It’s exhaustive just thinking about, let alone doing it all, year in and year out.
But, I can’t take time for myself. Everything will fall apart if I do!
Here’s a thought – what if you get sick from taking care of everyone but yourself? It is a real possibility. Your body and mind are under stress whether you want to admit it or not. I would venture to guess you don’t get enough sleep and a good portion of your meals are on the go. Eating takeout and microwavable meals gives you little nutrition and energy.
SO, without taking time for yourself, you still end up not being able to take care of others. See how easily everything can fall apart if you don’t stop and smell the roses in your own very vital life??
TRY THIS
Write yourself a letter. Consider this your first self-care objective.
Here’s the skinny…you are writing to yourself as if it is 1 year from now. What improvements in the following self-care areas do you hope to see in your life next new year: physical health, mental health, relationships, fun and letting go? Just write a couple of changes you would like to see. Here are some examples:
Physical Health – get off one prescription drug, lower blood pressure or cholesterol level, move more, enjoy greater flexibility
Mental Health – engage in more daydreaming, replace a repetitive negative thought with a positive affirmation, see a counselor, start a gratitude journal
Relationships – rekindle a friendship that you have neglected, make a new friend, have more real conversations with a child or spouse, write more letters to those you love
Fun – laugh more, take up a hobby, take a trip somewhere new, commit to a spa day every 3 months
Letting Go – realize the house doesn’t have to be cleaned every week or give that job to someone else and be happy with the results, let someone else host Thanksgiving AND Christmas this year, give up perfectionism, loosen the reins on the child who is now an adult.
Once you have written something in all these areas, pick 1 to focus on for the year. If you find this 1 area of self-care improvement is going swimmingly then, and only then, you can add another.
Back to the letter to yourself…you are writing all the things you did for yourself in the one area you picked. You are describing the impact this had on your life in 2022 and how you feel now that 2023 is here. Make an appointment with yourself for 1 hour, grab a tea or coffee, search your heart and let it pour out on the page.
Loving yourself, taking time for you, is never selfish. And, you will have more love to give others. Sounds like a perfect plan, doesn’t it?
Namaste,
Annette
