We’re a couple of weeks into the New Year – still time to consider any changes you’d like to make in 2015. What comes to mind when you think about starting a new year?
Most of us probably have a mix of feelings. There is a sense of reflection over the past year – our accomplishments, disappointments, the changes the old year brought our way. We’re curious about what comes next. Perhaps we feel a sense of hope. Perhaps that hope is tempered by a sense of inertia in our lives, an awareness of how difficult it can be to truly create change.
If your life feels really off-track you may find yourself ready for the New Year to truly turn things upside down. Many of us long for something different – evolution rather than revolution. With the passage of each year I have become more interested in the question “What does it take to have a good life?” Is my life moving in a direction that works for me, or are course corrections needed? Here are some suggestions:
- Take care of the basics: health, relationships, financial well-being. New Years’ resolutions to lose weight and work out more are often exercises in futility, particularly if these changes come from a place of perfectionism. Instead, why not think of one or two changes you can make that would improve your physical health? If you smoke, that’s the place to start; smoke less, or stop all together. Drink too much? How about cutting the amount you consume in half? Take the stairs. Walk more. The goal isn’t necessarily muscles. If you haven’t had a physical or a dental exam in years, go ahead and schedule one. The goal is to take care of your body so you can live longer and healthier.
- Physical health is another place to set realistic goals. Still smoking? The single best way to improve your health is to stop. With this and other goals, be mindful that perfectionism is your enemy. If you can’t stop smoking, start by at least cutting back. Similarly, adding a bit of physical exercise may be a more realistic goal for some people than getting all buff by springtime. Think of little changes you can make that will increase your well-being, and focus on implementing those rather than being overwhelmed by the changes you may feel you need to make. And remember that exercise is good for emotional fitness as well as your physical health.
- If you’re in a committed relationship, what are one or two things you could do that would strengthen it? You might try acknowledging and appreciating your partner more frequently. Or give up hoping your partner will learn to read your mind and instead ask for what you want. Look at whether you have habits – particularly around work or the ways you use technology – that might be getting in the way. Make your partner more of a priority.
- Money doesn’t buy happiness, but taking care of your financial life certainly can reduce the level of stress you live with day in, day out. Think about getting rich slowly. A realistic plan to reduce your debt, increase your savings and save for retirement will help bring you peace of mind. The key word is realistic; unless you suddenly inherit a lot of money or find yourself in a new job that pays you much more money, increasing your financial health takes time and patience.
- Watch what you say when you’re talking to yourself. We all hear voices, and the loudest of those voices often belongs to our internal critic. The critic is relentless and never gives you a break. “Why bother? This won’t work,” “You’ll always be fat and broke,” “He doesn’t really love you.” I’ve written in more detail about this elsewhere. If you find yourself hearing these voices, try asking the voice a few questions: “Am I sure?” “How do I know that’s true?” are good places to start. A good therapist will help you learn how your mind works and how to maintain your emotional health through mindfulness.