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Have new years resolutions ever really worked?
I haven’t set new years resolutions in years, perhaps because one overarching goal for the year feels close-minded to me.
How can I possibly predict that I’ll still want that one goal in even a few months’ time?
My ever-changing mind simply says, “that’s a good joke.”
Though I do believe in the power of goal setting (as I’ve written about many times before), I’ve been resistant to jumping into it right away this year.
Usually, I’d map out everything I’d like to accomplish, but I’ve been feeling the urge to take things a little slower.
If you’ve been feeling a similar kind of way, here’s how you can ease into the year with flexible expectations.
Entering 2023 with ease
This time of year is riddled with other people sharing their tips to help you ‘get ahead of 99% of other people’ in the new year.
But I don’t want to get ahead of anyone else.
That’s not how I measure success.
I just want to (gently) get ahead of my past self.
I could feel bad about wanting to go slow, wondering if there’s something wrong with me because I don’t know my goals just yet. Like it’s my fault that I’m not ambitious, organized, or motivated enough.
But apparently, I’m not in the minority in wanting to go slow. I’ve been seeing a general pushback against setting goals, and there’s an overarching message from others along the lines of ‘don’t worry if you haven’t set goals just yet‘.
Here’s your reminder that you are welcome to hop, skip & even slide into this new year without creating not one resolution.
✨ It is more than okay to enjoy exactly where you are.
— Michelle. (@thegmichelle) January 2, 2023
Maybe it’s just the circles I’m in, but everyone seems to be anti-resolution these days (which I’m not mad about at all).
Perhaps it’s because goals are automatically associated with the hustle, and people are tired of always pushing for the next thing.
We need to shift away from the old way of doing things and realize that slow growth is still growth.
It’s better to move towards goals with intention, rather than rushing simply just to get them done.
Related Post: 5 Tips to Pause Hustle Mode and Slow Down
Choose a word and focus areas
For the time being, I’m using words of the year as my anchors.
I recommend Susannah Conway’s workbook for choosing which words to use.
The words I’ve chosen for this year are pursue, presence, and connect.
Here’s what they mean to me:
- Pursue: to put effort into the things I want to do, even when it feels scary
- Presence: to bring more mindfulness to the things I do
- Connect: to find ways to connect with like-minded people
I’ve also pinpointed a few areas of life that I’d like to focus on for the year: career, mindfulness/spirituality, and community.
These go hand in hand with the words I’ve chosen.
I’m going to give myself time to figure out what I’d like out of these areas, then focus on 1-2 smaller goals for each per quarter/season.
If you want to figure out which areas of life to choose, try going through this wellness wheel exercise.
And if you’re not sure of anything you want just yet, spend time away from the distractions of what other people are doing. Find ways to connect with yourself so you can come back to your own guidance.
Don’t rush to set goals if you’re not sure of them just yet – start with your focus areas and words to guide you.
How are you easing into the new year?
