How’s your relationship with January goals? Mine falls in the love–hate zone. Love, in that it’s a whole new fresh New Year—Right? The hate part comes in when we feel like we’re obligated to improve ourselves.
We’re expected to start big and start now!
What if you’re among the 9% who do well with achieving their New Year’s goals?
Well, I’m happy to say you don’t need to read any further. Carry on, my friend—You’re doing great!
But here’s the thing, most people automatically assume January is the best time for a fresh start.
Almost everyone goes for a fresh start when the new year rolls around.
It’s what one does, right?
I want to share some alternatives to the January-Resolution-and-Goalsetting-Madness for the other 91% of us who struggle with this.
Let’s begin by understanding why this is such a bad time for self-improvement. Here’s a question… So, how’s January turning out for you so far?
It’s a tough month any way you slice it.
We’re still mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted from the holidays. But that’s not enough—You also should consider…
- It’s the middle of winter with its shorter days, less light, and more clouds in the sky.
- January is funk season! Seasonal Adjustment Disorder is near its high.
- All the attention-grabbing noise is screaming at you to go to the gym, lose weight, do more, do it faster, and do it better. Plus,
- The universe is guilting you into this surge of self-improvement. And that never works!
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for self-improvement!
After all, LifeUntucked® is in the personal growth/self-improvement space.
It’s just that now might not be the best time for you. Let me say that again—now might not be the best time for you! It’s a recipe for disaster.
Here’s where I’m coming from though. I believe there are far better times of the year for fresh starts, anyway. It’s simple. Too much pressure and expectations come with a New Year.
Don’t worry, I’m not going to go all woo-woo on you here, but what if we looked for more natural rhythms that occur throughout the year? What if we’re more in the flow rather than reactively following the rest of the human herd on January 1?
New Rhythm No. 1 – All dates on the calendar are equal, well almost.
Let’s not get hung up on that we’ve entered a brand-new year. That’s great. We’ve got a clean slate. Or does it just feel that way? I mean, what really changed at midnight on January 1st? Anything? Really?
I truly believe when you get down to the brass tacks of this “best time for a fresh start” thing, the dates on the calendar don’t really matter.
And most of the traditional times for fresh starts are destined to fail because they come with other people’s rules, values, and expectations. That just sets you up for the comparison trap along with a 91% failure rate.
The key to setting your best time for a fresh start is selecting a time that works for you.
New Rhythm No. 2 – Your decision matters more than anything.
Your decision, your freely executed choice, absent any “should-dos,” is far more important to your success than almost any other factor.
Who besides you gets to decide when and what goals you choose to pursue?
(Would it surprise you that I even wrote a post titled, “Did You Know You’re Not Obligated to Have a Better Year”? Because guess what, you’re not. You can read it here.)
New Rhythm No. 3 – Think Seasons!
Two of the four seasons of the year are about fresh starts. You’re probably thinking of Spring first, that one’s easy. And it goes without much explanation.
“The literal change of season and the longer days can be really inspiring and get you in the mood to set your goals.”—Taylor on theshadowandsunshine.com
In her post, “Why Spring is the Perfect Goal Setting Season,” she gives five reasons why spring is a natural when it comes to goal setting.
The second one may not be as obvious. What happens when something new and something familiar come at the same time?
The process begins midway through our formative years. Starting with kindergarten or first grade, we begin a new school year, rich with anticipation.
For the next twenty-plus years, we’ve all repeated the same cycle until this season of change is hardwired into our psyche. Autumn is the mark of an invigorating fresh start. We can continue to tap into it—if we let ourselves!
New Rhythm No. 4 – Surprise Yourself.
This one is a little different and doesn’t exactly follow a rhythm per se. But, what if “Surprise Yourself” was your goal? What would that do for you?
The inspiration for last week’s post was this quote by author, Neil Gaiman—
May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art – write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.
—Neil Gaiman, author
I almost missed his closing line… “And I hope, somewhere in the next year, you surprise yourself.”
What if you made surprising yourself your singular goal for the year? Maybe it’s an open mike night. It could be trying out for a community theatre. Maybe it’s finally pursuing that dream you’ve kept secret for all these years?
Start small and build on your surprises. Who knows where you might end up?
Remember, your choice, your decision, your timing… it’s what works for you.
Now go surprise yourself…
Be untucked.
p.s. Oh! One last thing, if you found this post helpful, be sure to share it with a friend. You can use the Share Buttons at the top or the bottom of the post. Thanks, I owe you one.
Copyright © 2023 Jeff Meister – All Rights Reserved
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