New year, new me bullshit.

This post is part of a weekly series I'm doing culminating in a celebration at my March retreat.

Learn more about the series and journey I'm on HERE

As of writing this we have 2 spots left for the retreat, join me! MORE INFO

Back to this being a weekly series (holidays, amiright??) I'm writing this one as much to myself as to anyone else who may need to hear it. Just because it's a new year, doesn't mean to you have to set all the goals and do all the things! I can appreciate a fresh start and a good resolution but there is a reason most people fail at reaching their goals before the month is even up.

This first problem, our calendar new year is not in sync with the natural world. This a time of rest, renewal, and reflection. Our bodies are physically craving more sleep and more downtime but then we come in all new year, new me bullshit and override our natural systems.

The second problem, we try to do ALL THE THINGS. We haven't worked out for months but now because the calendar changed a day we think we're going to spend 2 hours at the gym 5 days a week. We haven't made more then 1 sales call a day all year but now we're going to make 15 a day with follow up scripts and all the jazz. That's not how habits work. You can power through for a week or two and then 98% of the time you will crash and burn.

(If you want to learn how to build sustainable habits, check out Atomic Habits by James Clear)

What if instead of all the new year hype, we just started out slow, intentionally and savored the "fresh start" as a new way of thinking and being where we can gradually integrate the changes we wish to make?

In my 4 month journey I'm on right now, January is still part of my release phase. This time is meant for me to be letting go, not adding in. I found myself getting a bit wrapped up in the traditional new year stuff and had to check myself. I'm not ready for the re-building phase. I needed to make some big adjustments to how I'm structuring my days and what projects I'm working on and how, as we all do in a new year, but that's where it needs to stop. My body is still releasing and I'm craving slow days, long nights under my covers and ample time to think, reflect, write and let me my mind wander. The holidays and some recent life changes brought up a whole new round of emotional trauma that I thought I had let go of and clearly have not.

All of this to say, let's just take a big collective breath and pause. Take a moment to really assess how you want this year to play out and what your actual best steps to take are right now for long term success. Nothing sustainable is built overnight.