It’s that time FRIENDS… and OH MY WORD, 2019 is just a few short days away. Unless you are like me and have to work those days between Christmas and New Year’s, 2019 is a few dragged out days away. Nevertheless, it’s around the corner and what a difference a year can make.

2018 was a mixed bag for me, but it’s definitely going out on a high note. Last year I wrote a piece titled “Why our Resolutions Don’t Stick”, (click to read), and a few ways to change that. Did I follow my own advice to the fullest extent, no. However, did I follow the spirit of that advice? Yes, and I’m grateful to say that it worked, but not without some hills and valleys.

My biggest goal over the past year was to find a way to be content in what I had. To find joy in the small things and enjoy where I’m at. I’m not talking about tricking myself with false positivity and a wall full quotes and endless vision boards. I needed to feel a calm and a stillness on a visceral level regardless of the outside world.

In the digital age I would dare say it’s tough for all of us to remain present. I found myself on two extremes. I was either trying to pursue everything at once and checking off all these boxes, orrrrrrr, I was ignoring everything around me, just drifting along with zero focus not caring at all (basically, major slob mode). I was never focused, or checking things off my list like a mad woman and sprinting off to the next thing #typeAgoaldigger. Either way, not content. Even while being in both of those states I knew neither one was ever going to be beneficial for me, or anyone else. Sometime about mid August or September something clicked, or maybe it snapped, but I knew I had to pull it together and find a balance that fit me. Whatever I could manage long term would be my new ‘center’ no matter how small. Wanting to find this center and recreate ourselves is a feeling that goes hand in hand with December 31st, or maybe it’s every Monday for you, but we tend to over do it. We want to fix everything all at once and be transformed in 21 days, or don’t bother at all because we’ve already determined it just won’t work and continue remain discontent. It was my all or nothing mentality that draped a dark cloud over resolutions for me until I decided that change was possible if I focused on one thing.

Once again, this New Year I will focus on one major thing while continuing to maintain and nurture what has come to past in the previous year.

Forget new year new me. More like New Year, One Thing (one thing at a time that is).

For my hopefuls out there still giving resolutions a go, try to focus on one aspect of your life this year and go slow. It can be as big or a small as you like, just make sure it’s manageable. I know you have goals. Great we all do, but maybe don’t try to become a vegan minimalist, redo your entire house, start a new business, workout five times a week, volunteer, and do YouTube on the side all within the same year…especially if you do none of those things already.

We tend to look back and see where we may have fallen short, or wish things had turned out differently. But as we all know you can’t change the past. Reflection is good if it promotes a positive change, but don’t dwell there for too long, and don’t beat yourself up.

2019 is coming and you may have already been thinking about what you want your next year to look like. Know that you may not be able to control the circumstance around you or what you are given, but you can control what you choose to do with what you have: aka my biggest take away of 2018. Start small and know that good things always take longer than you think. Happy New Year!

Love,

Chantel