Every year at this time that little phrase is bandied about everywhere, all the glossy magazines are full of this diet or that new fitness regime and we all forget that we have been here before…many times. Then we conveniently forget to check with ourselves whether all those previous attempts have led to lasting change or whether we have slipped back into those old habits by the third week in January. Despite all the evidence to the contrary we maintain that this will definitely be the year we make those changes that will transform our lives forever. To make matters worse, a whole industry has sprung up to encourage us all to plan our shiny new selves from television programmes to transformational courses and we tell ourselves everybody else is doing much better than we are.
But, when we stop to think about it, how realistic is it to think that the darkest and coldest time of year is the time when we should be embracing a more Spartan and rigorous lifestyle? It can surely be no surprise that it takes a few short weeks to send us rushing headlong back into the grip of whatever habit we have decided to give up.
After all that racing around to find the perfect gifts and the most outstanding feast, Christmas is over for another year, the sparkly decorations are down and all those chocolates have been devoured, except for the coconut ones of course. I don’t know about you, but for me, this time of year can seem so flat and colourless. It’s hardly surprising that the last thing we want to do is give up things that we have got into the habit of using for comfort.
No matter how we feel about the festive period, and however we celebrate, it’s still true to say that most of us have been surrounded for weeks by sparkle and colour, lots of bustle and celebration, social outings and family get-togethers. Then, suddenly, it’s all over and it’s time to take down the tree, get back into a routine, and begin to look forward and plan for the months to come. Except, we don’t…….
Instead of looking forward to new challenges and adventures, we begin the annual torture of setting ourselves those resolutions……again! This year we’re definitely going to give up chocolate, hit the gym every day, transform our bodies by March and finally stop smoking forever. We never stop to consider how realistic those goals are and whether there could be another way.
So, why not decide to do things differently this year? Instead of making a list of things to stop doing in 2018 and beating ourselves up when the resolutions don’t last beyond the middle week in January like every other year, what if we all decided to take the opportunity to begin something new? Something you may always have wanted to do, you could finally join that Zumba class, take up painting, volunteer to be a life model at an art class, learn to play the piano or write that book.
After all, January, the first month of the year was named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings, gates, transitions, time, doorways, passages and endings. Any illustration of Janus depicts him having two faces looking both forwards to the future and backwards over the past and January presents us with a golden opportunity to review what went before and see what worked and decide what may not have gone quite so well and what can be improved on for the future. Opportunity is all around us as we say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new one, January heralds a time of new beginnings and an opportunity to build on all the successes of the previous year, a chance to take stock of our achievements as we plan the year to come.
Put like this, it must surely seem like a really positive exercise for us all as the excitement of a brand new and exciting approach to the New Year beckons. Find out how hypnotherapy and coaching with NLP can support you to make those exciting changes.
Don’t agonise…..orrganise!
But, when we stop to think about it, how realistic is it to think that the darkest and coldest time of year is the time when we should be embracing a more Spartan and rigorous lifestyle? It can surely be no surprise that it takes a few short weeks to send us rushing headlong back into the grip of whatever habit we have decided to give up.
After all that racing around to find the perfect gifts and the most outstanding feast, Christmas is over for another year, the sparkly decorations are down and all those chocolates have been devoured, except for the coconut ones of course. I don’t know about you, but for me, this time of year can seem so flat and colourless. It’s hardly surprising that the last thing we want to do is give up things that we have got into the habit of using for comfort.
No matter how we feel about the festive period, and however we celebrate, it’s still true to say that most of us have been surrounded for weeks by sparkle and colour, lots of bustle and celebration, social outings and family get-togethers. Then, suddenly, it’s all over and it’s time to take down the tree, get back into a routine, and begin to look forward and plan for the months to come. Except, we don’t…….
Instead of looking forward to new challenges and adventures, we begin the annual torture of setting ourselves those resolutions……again! This year we’re definitely going to give up chocolate, hit the gym every day, transform our bodies by March and finally stop smoking forever. We never stop to consider how realistic those goals are and whether there could be another way.
So, why not decide to do things differently this year? Instead of making a list of things to stop doing in 2018 and beating ourselves up when the resolutions don’t last beyond the middle week in January like every other year, what if we all decided to take the opportunity to begin something new? Something you may always have wanted to do, you could finally join that Zumba class, take up painting, volunteer to be a life model at an art class, learn to play the piano or write that book.
After all, January, the first month of the year was named after Janus, the Roman god of all beginnings, gates, transitions, time, doorways, passages and endings. Any illustration of Janus depicts him having two faces looking both forwards to the future and backwards over the past and January presents us with a golden opportunity to review what went before and see what worked and decide what may not have gone quite so well and what can be improved on for the future. Opportunity is all around us as we say goodbye to the old year and welcome in the new one, January heralds a time of new beginnings and an opportunity to build on all the successes of the previous year, a chance to take stock of our achievements as we plan the year to come.
Put like this, it must surely seem like a really positive exercise for us all as the excitement of a brand new and exciting approach to the New Year beckons. Find out how hypnotherapy and coaching with NLP can support you to make those exciting changes.
Don’t agonise…..orrganise!
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