Most of the people I am speaking to are hoping for a calmer and more chilled new year. Or at least a healthier one. How about you?
I like to think of the start of the new year, as a fresh new page, or a new chapter, that I can write and take in whatever direction I like. I start with an intention or a word or a value or an affirmation of how I would like to be. My intention for the new year is to create more space. More space to think, create, connect, and have fun.
But that space isn’t going to magically appear in my calendar on its own! I need to create it. And to do this I need to change the way I think about my relationship with time and energy.
Often, we overestimate the effort and inconvenience of making change. Or take an all-or-nothing mindset to high stakes personal goals like losing weight or changing direction with our career. This thinking can become so overwhelming that it sets us up for failure.
But it doesn’t need to be hard. It is the small, consistent 1%ers, or tiny habits that are within your control and incorporated into your daily routine, that provides the greatest transformation. And it starts with creating an open mind willing to find the positives that will allow you to enjoy life.
From Rick Hanson’s book Hardwiring Happiness, he provides the science and strategies for us to rewire our brain to notice the positives around us. His 3 top tips for living with more contentment, calm, and confidence:
- Cultivate gratitude (list 3-things you are grateful for each night)
- Create and protect a positive morning routine
- Relive and savour positive experiences (think happy memories and holiday moments)
How will you show up this year?