Replace outdated new year’s resolutions with a theme to keep you aligned to your vision and on track throughout the year.
We all know that New Year’s resolutions don’t really work. We make them with the best of intentions, and start off strong, until life gets in the way. We start skipping the gym, or sugar creeps back into our diet, and before we know it, it’s June and we can’t even remember what our resolution was anymore.
Why does this happen to so many of us, year after year? Are we lazy? Bad? Lacking commitment? No! The problem isn’t us. It’s that resolutions aren’t set up to help you achieve success.
The problem starts at the very beginning. When we think up our resolutions, we look back over the previous year and identify a behavior we’re not proud of and want to change.
“I really need to exercise more… lose weight… stop drinking so much… spend less money…” Do any of these sound familiar?
Look at the framework of these “resolutions.” It sounds more like we’re getting in trouble than inspiring new behavior patterns. If we’re beating ourselves up with our “goals” for the new year, we’ll never be excited to work on them, and will eventually avoid them. And, often, we’re looking at where we don’t want to go – eat or drink less, spending less money – instead of focusing on where we do want to go. Kind of like driving a car, we go where we’re looking.
Here is where a theme can be really helpful. A theme is an overarching focus for the year, based on what matters most to you. Your theme will remind you what’s most important to you on a day-to-day basis, helping you make the right decisions and move in the direction you want to go.
The best thing about a theme is – you can’t mess it up! Write it down somewhere easily visible – on post-its that you stick on your bathroom mirror and kitchen cabinets; make it your desktop background or phone background. Every time you see it, take a moment to read it out loud. When we say things out loud, they seem more real than just reading them, and they sink in deeper.
This year, my theme is: “Make space for creativity.”
To me, this means decluttering so I have a clean space to be creative. It also means carving out time in my schedule to be creative – then defending that time block as if it were just as important as a big presentation at work!
Want to create a theme for yourself?
Start by reflecting on the past year.
- What went well? When did you feel most inspired? When were you your best self?
- What were the low points? What did you mean to do, but never achieve? What has to change for you to feel happier, and more like yourself?
Now, leave the past in the past. It’s a new year, so let’s start fresh! Where do you want to grow?
For some people, it’s helpful to keep things as simple as possible with a one-word theme, like “vision,” “expansion” or “ease.” (Happiness expert Gretchen Rubin is a big proponent of this one-word model.) For others, one word is too confining, and a phrase is perfect. Whichever you choose, remember to focus on what you want more of, not less of. And make sure it’s something that gives you a little zip of excitement and possibility whenever you read it.
What’s your theme for this year? Comment below – we’d love to hear it.
