2 January…. how’s it going? Are you tired yet about the holiday highlight reels, years in review (of people’s highlights), “new year, new you”, resolutions, etc? Honestly? I was tired of them weeks ago.

It’s not inherently bad to look at the previous year, but it can be easy to be sucked into a “hustle” mindset. Hell – even I looked back on the previous 2+ weeks and couldn’t help but wonder, “What did I do with that time?”… I had so many plans over the 3 weeks off from work, and I’ve barely done anything except eat, drink, and sleep.

I did the same when we were initially shut down because of covid in 2020 – 4 months “off” (working 1-2 hours a day), and I did it while I was off 6 weeks recovering from surgery in June/July. I should have “done more”. That I “wasted an opportunity to *insert activity here*”… whether it was to get in shape, take up bread making, paint more, or really work on my website.

(Even though I was quite pleased with my surgery recovery – and, if anything, I was doing too much)

Sometimes, it takes every ounce of effort just to get through the year. And that’s okay! If this was you, and you made it to 2024, CONGRATULATIONS!

But, if you want to make changes in the next 12 months, I’m not one to tell you not to! Life is about change and growth… even if you didn’t do much of that in 2023.

Instead of focusing on things that you want to achieve, why don’t you focus on things you want to stop or start doing this year. You know what I’m talking about. The “IN / OUT” list. I actually like this idea, as it will help build good habits for next year. Life isn’t a race, so don’t be worried about completing your life’s “bucket list” in the next 12 months. Maybe this year is setting you up for success next year. And that’s okay!

My word for 2023 was “PERSEVERANCE”… that in the face of adversity, I’d never give up. 2022 was such a horrible year for me, I knew that not everything would be resolved in 2023, but could set me up for success in 2024.

My word for 2024 is “EMBODIMENT”… becoming. 2023, I did a lot of reflection on who I want to be and what I want my life to look like. But I found that I wasn’t able to commit; I was scared. Scared of what people would think or say.

“How could you be a Life Coach when you struggle with depression, anxiety, and fixing your relationship with your husband?”

(TIP: dealing with trauma will never go away, but it should not discredit you from helping others. If anything, it makes you more sympathetic and can empathize with others. Also, there’s nothing wrong with the relationship with my husband, it can just be better)

“How can you be a Personal Trainer when you’re fat, struggle with body image and your relationship with food?”

(TIP: body diversity and representation is so important in the fitness industry, but having fat is demonized. How is a young man/woman with low double digits of body fat, never having struggled with their weight connect with a woman who is perimenopausal / menopausal? They can’t!)

“How can you be a Reiki Master when your chakras are blocked and you don’t have a solid meditation practice?”

(TIP: Reiki sessions aid the practitioner as much as the recipient)

So for this year, in addition to my “word of the year”, I’m including an in/out list:

IN:

• More self-love
• More Confidence
• Mindful movement
• Gratitude journaling
• Soulful activities
• Fearlessness
• Meaningful time with loved ones
• Authenticity
• Daily painting/art
• Embracing discomfort

OUT

• Mindless scrolling / binging on TV
• Self-doubt
• Not asking for help
• Imposter syndrome
• Over thinking
• Limiting beliefs
• Excuses
• Unnecessary spending
• Comfort zones

I don’t have a new year resolution – I haven’t for years now. Yes, I’d like to lose weight, but it’s an ongoing process. I’d rather focus on mindful movement and doing things I love, like lift weights. I’d rather base my “success” on increased cardiovascular health, getting off my BP medication, and passing my annual physical fitness test (which is 2.5 years overdue). Focusing on that may result in weight-loss, but it’s not my primary objective.

I don’t know what the next 12 months will hold for me, but I’m not going to wait for it to happen.

I’m going to make it happen.