Soft resolutions for January
Why consider starting January with a gentle approach to new year's resolutions
Soft resolutions this January!
Do you have new year's resolutions?
Do you stick to them?
Do they motivate you to achieve or weigh heavy on you?
If you know me well, or follow the wheel of the year with me you'll know I believe in soft resolutions in January.
It's an invitation to start the year with an idea of what you want to 'grow' in your life but rest wrapped around that idea so the idea can germinate, evolve and shift before forming stronger goals and objectives in February.
It's a recognition that rather than rushing to consume or throw out treats around the house from Christmas, to enjoy them gently, with friends, as reasons to share and reconnect with people.
It's a motivation to move more, if your Christmas has been more sofa-centric, but to recognise if you were ill, or just chose not to move so much over the festive celebrations, starting back to exercise might need to be gentle....
like my son's plus one press up a day. Starting January 1st with just one press up, and moving to one more each day..
so we'll see if we make it beyond January with this!
And it's also taking time to really look at how you measure and target success in your plans for the year...
Could you consider measuring success in
The people you helped
The smiles you shared
The books you read
The way you supported your body.
The time you invested in listening and being there for others.
The boundaries you set to support your energy.
Over Christmas I read an article that talked about the importance of active choices in our rest of an evening that can help reduce our risk of dementia, i.e. less TV and social media and choosing exercise or active rest instead, such as meditation, prayer, reading, yoga nidra, conversations...
I listened to my sister in law cite her achievement of reading over 200 books in 2024 and I pledged to read at least 24 books this year... May sound low to those avid readers but when I realised I had only read 12 in 2024, it felt like a soft start.
Pleased to say with 2 down in my target, and that I am finding the joy from book inspiration that fuels my soul.
And if you haven't yet read Katie Piper 's Beautiful or Bonnie Garmus 's Lessons in Chemistry...treat yourself to some incredible words of wisdom and life guidance
Now off to try 10 press ups!
What are your soft resolutions this January and how are they going so far?
