Happy January, Wheatridge! How is it that it’s already 2022? Many of you may be expecting your resident life coach to regale you with the need to resolve to be better this year. However, I’ve never really been keen on the idea of New Year’s resolutions. OK, I definitely followed all the fads of this through my late teens, but it never really felt right. Like all the diets telling us we’re not enough until and then never truly seeing results, something felt off. I usually ended up disappointed in myself and worse off than before I started.
Sometime in my early 20s a friend of mine shared her idea that she wanted to give the upcoming year a word or a theme. This I could get behind. It felt good in my bones. She may have gotten this from Oprah or another inspiring source, but ever since I’ve been coming up with a word or a mantra for the upcoming year. It’s focused on how I want to feel and what I want to create, not on what I want to fix or get rid of.
Now that I’ve learned even more about how the brain works, I understand where my earlier discontent originated. Our brain works in that what we focus on grows. No wonder resolutions usually fizzle out by week three. When we tell our brain not to be or do something, it doesn’t hear the “not.” For example, if you say this is your year NOT to be single. Your brain only hears “single.” It then works to create situations that support you in being single, counterproductive to your goal. Instead, if you focus on receiving partnership, your brain starts to see and bring in those that could be partners. Our brains are absolutely amazing, but also annoyingly wordsmith-y. The good news is, you can use this knowledge in your favor.
Last month, I encouraged you to take stock of your year. Really looking back at all you’ve surpassed, created, managed, etc. Knowing this and knowing there is only so much in life we can control, what will your theme for the year be? Maybe it’s rest and renew. We’ve all been through so much these past few years. Maybe it’s a year of learning, and you pick something new you’ve always wanted to learn once a quarter. What area of your life are you ready to ignite and nurture this year?
My word and mantra are still brewing, but I promise to let you know once they’re ready to be shared.
When you come up with yours, I’d love to hear it, email me at nicole@eloiandstella.com. Let’s support each other and the goodness we each deserve this year.
