New Year, New Take

When it comes to turning the corner and starting a new year, I believe there are two types of people… There are those who eagerly draft new goals, ready to pursue their deeply-rooted belief that they can do and be anything. They wake up on January 1st recharged and ready to turn the page. They listen to others’ New Year’s resolutions and craft their own. And they tell a number of people so they can be held accountable for their progress (while also getting the encouragement and support they need to “really make it happen this year!”).

There are also those who are disillusioned about the idea of setting goals for the new year. Perhaps they have tried it in the past and ashamed to admit they had very little success. They may have ditched their goals the day they wrote them or not long after. Or they may have set unrealistic goals that they never could have achieved. Whatever the reason, they choose not to get on the “new year’s resolution / goal setting bandwagon” they see others jumping on and think the whole idea of setting resolutions is a waste of time.

Whichever camp you fall in – and, likely it is somewhere in between – we can all take a moment this time of year – and actually any time of the year – to reflect on who we are, what we want and where we want to go. We are all on a journey, and it is up to us and only us to define what that journey looks like – the destinations we want to go, the stops along the way, and how we navigate each and every step. What is important is that we listen to ourselves while we are on this journey and respond with curiosity, compassion and patience. If you already do this and feel you are deeply attuned to your inner voice and living your life authentically, then you are already steps ahead of most. Keep doing what you’re doing and share your wisdom with others who want to get there. If you are not quite there, think about what might be keeping you from getting there. What limiting beliefs are getting in your way?

For many of us, our limiting beliefs start with the noise we hear around us – the expectations we believe others have of us based on how they define success. These become our “should’s – what we think we “should “be doing with our lives. It could be what we see our college friends doing with their lives or what our parents tell us we should be doing; these “should’s” come from what we see and hear around us. Our challenge is to tune out the “should’s” based on all of that external data and ask ourselves “What assumptions am I making or stories am I telling myself that I “should” be doing based on what I see externally?”

Now think about what you are naturally curious about or interested in – what gets you charged up every day. Listen to that voice inside and really hear what it has to say. Ask yourself “If I could do anything or be anyone - without any judgment or comparing myself to others – who would that be? What would I do, where would I go, how would I show up in the world?” Are you on a path that is aligned with this version of yourself? Or does it look closer to what you see others doing or have heard others tell you for much of your life? Are you living authentically and satisfied with how you show up each day and how you share your unique gifts with the world? Or is something missing or unfulfilled that you want to change?

However you answer these questions, stop and truly listen to the answers. What are they telling you? Are you on the path you want to be on or do you need to shift course? Think about what you want to do next – that next step you can take to continue on your journey. It doesn’t have to be a huge leap; it can be a small step that leads to a series of small steps. Start in a way that is manageable for you, yet meaningful, and see where you go. Listen to your inner voice, tune out the “should’s” and set on a path to become the version of you that only you can be, not the version you think others want you to be. Only then can we continue on a path to true fulfillment.