How to Ditch Your Resolutions (and find your Resolve!)
'Ditch Your Resolutions Day' just passed on January 17th - its existence speaks to a phenomenon that many of us know quite well!
We make a GREAT plan, and then it falls apart when we go to put it into application!
There are plenty of reasons for this, one that many of us are aware of is that the depth of winter (New Years in the northern hemisphere) isn't always the best time for making new plans and implementing them. According to the ancient Daoist tradition, during the winter months we are meant to tend more toward hibernation - to go within, contemplate stillness and to DREAM!
Around the end of January, the light begins to return and this is actually a perfect time to begin making new goals and priorities according to the holistic thinkers down through the ages. The sacred fire within is being kindled from embers into a more robust blaze and we can ride that energy. Of course, this is also about the time that our will power may run out for our new workout routine, nutrition plan, or schedule.
The trick is, "will power" is never the most potent tool in our arsenal, we're much better off setting up the systems that can support us for when fatigue or circumstances conspire to sap our brute strength.
Should we just give up on making the beneficial changes that we want in our lives? No, we just have to get smarter about how we go about creating this change. Here are three keys that I've found essential in this process:
- Focus less on the specifics and more on the PURPOSE underlying them
this can mean coming back to broader ideas like "increasing my health and vitality" rather than specifics like "sticking to keto until I lose 20lbs"! - Explore new strategies when the ones you've chosen aren't working
I have a goal to increase muscle mass and reduce my body fat percentage this year - but the way I was going about it was negatively impacting my sleep. That gets in the way of the REAL goal underlying of "increasing my health and vitality". I don't have to give up on my goal or just grit my teeth and sacrifice my sleep - I can try new methods until I find one(s) that actually WORK for me! - Take the long view
Sometimes our goals are a little unrealistic - either because of how soon we want change to take place, OR because we're ignorant of other things that need to change to make our goals even possible! If we take the long view, we can often accomplish more - rather than injuring ourselves in the gym trying to progress to swiftly, we could take a couple months on the fundamentals that will make everything that follows more effective!
With steps like these, you can turn the questionable methodology of "resolutions" into a real sense of Resolve - the inner spark that keeps you motivated and moving toward a more and more beautiful future. You can do so without sacrificing the present to get there! The end of January is a powerful time to reassess, and get realistic - grounded in the reality of the present moment - so that we can find a deeper form of inspiration from there!
Related to this sense of inner spark is the holiday of Valentine's Day - which I believe may come from the need to honor these rising energies as winter turns toward spring. In honor of this holiday I'm offering two amazing classes - the first is free and called 'Date Night Acupressure', and the second is a two hour class on 'Sacred Partner Massage'. However you do so, I hope you are fanning the sparks of light and love in your life!
