Close out 2017 with five simple exercises

Here are five simple exercises you can fold into your New Year’s celebrations to welcome 2018 with a bang.

Reflect on your accomplishments.

“Moving through life at ninety miles per hour,” was a phrase that stuck with me from an interview on the concept of savoring and Cupcake Moments. When I work with clients, they often look to “what’s next.” I have a client who came to me with the goal of weight loss; her desired goal was to lose about 20 pounds. She has lost 12 pounds and was quick to point out it is not as much as she wanted. Upon reflection, she realized not only did she lose weight, she had made even more significant life changes. Whoosh, zoom, whiz…cross things off and a whole new list appears. Before the clock strikes midnight, take the time to reflect on all YOU have accomplished.

Recognize your grit when faced with hurdles.

My daughter takes the time to write cards for special days…like birthdays and holidays. This year I tried to incorporate her sentiment into our wedding anniversary and reflect on our 26th year of marriage; unfortunately it was a “bitter-not-so-sweet” reflection. While we’ve had many happy moments, there have been painful challenges too. I am grateful for the fortitude, honesty, multiple “conferences,” and the love that fueled our ability to overcome the hurdles. There is value in stopping to celebrate… and there is value in appreciating your strengths when faced with hurdles.

Think about goals for 2018.

Capitalize on the symbolic restart the New Year brings, but instead of resolutions make goals. A resolution is defined as “a firm decision to do or not do something.” Maybe that’s why most resolutions are abandoned within the first month. A goal has a much more palatable definition: “…the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.” Much has been written on the topic of goals and research indicates that people who set goals and work towards achievement have a greater sense of happiness! I suggest that rather than set resolutions, you consider setting goals for yourself. (Join us for workshop on this topic)

List experiments to help achieve goals

The next step is to think about how you will achieve your desires in 2018. The goal is the outcome, but sometimes our plans for achieving them go awry. Reframe your efforts as experiments to shift the energy to curiosity and learning. If your goal is to exercise on a regular basis, and you decide to try running but find it hurts your knees too much, try something else. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed; you might just need to experiment with something different.

Finally, write out your reflections, goals and experiments.

“The act of writing your to-do’s by hand transfers them from the realm of intention to the physical world. It’s a powerful energetic step in making your goals a reality.” – Anne Sage

Your celebrations, strengths, desires and experiments become more ingrained when you make them known – even if only to yourself in the written word. Better yet, share your writings with those you love for external accountability and extra motivation.

Wishing you a wonderful 2018!