As much as we try to stay in the present while enjoying the holiday season, we can't help but think back to the goals we set at the beginning of the year. If you made New Year's resolutions and still have a few (or all!) of them left to achieve, don't worry. This collection of Weekly Wellness's will help you make that last, mad dash to finish what you set out to do in January.
Usually when we plan our goals it's with the intention of changing something in our current life that we don't like by resolving to do something different. And while our personal goals may differ (be it growing spiritually, developing better relationships with our kids, killing it at work, etc.), the way to hit our target usually requires changing our habits. This means updating our routines, looking at our automatic responses to conflict and even changing the way we talk about our situation to start seeing movement in those areas. If these were easy to do then most people wouldn't need to set a resolution in the first place, which is why we're completing our end of year playbook with this week's collection of favorites. In the last blog we talked about how to set up the best environment to accomplish the goals we've set. This week, we're giving you the tools to make those changes stick and for good this time ;).
Sometimes the reason we don't accomplish what we set out to do is because we're making mountains out of molehills, or as we called it, rocks vs. tumbleweeds. If you think about it, how many times have you put something off because you thought the fallout would be overwhelming or the amount of work to see it through would be too much, only to find that once you actually began it was much easier than anticipated? All that was needed was to start! Well the same is true for changing our habits. When we start to make real changes it creates a great foundation for us to see our plans and resolutions all the way through.
Before we get started on creating new habits, we first have to step back and actually notice our current ones. When we continually get results we aren't pleased with, it usually has to do with the current habits we have in place that aren't doing us any favors. In A Glimpse into the Real we uncovered how to begin noticing our knee-jerk reactions, and from there, how to get better at responding rather than just reacting to every situation that arises. Once we begin looking through this lens, we can better determine whether these reactions are helping us move closer to accomplishing our goals.
To help uncover the routines that don't serve us, check out Cultivating Good Habits and Ditching the Rest. In it we've provided a list of bad habits no one needs, along with the steps to not only permanently break bad habits, but guides on how to create and keep new ones. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, this is where a dedicated meditation practice really comes in handy. Having a consistent practice is one of the best habits to have when trying to create real change, and it enhances and supports all the efforts in every other area of our life. Ultimately, when updating our habits and making a pointed effort to do things differently, we pave the way for creating a new (and even better!) version of our old self.
Whatever it is you set out to do at the beginning of this year, now is a perfect time to give yourself props on what you were able to accomplish and patience with what's still in the works (remember to focus on the gains, not the gaps!). Most importantly, know that we are not fixed. Our situations can change, our levels of positivity and joy can increase. Our relationships can get healthier, our jobs more fulfilling, our loads mentally lighter, and our peace of mind can expand. It’s just up to us to ensure that this happens.
As this year comes to a close, use these next few weeks as an opportunity to re-align with what you want and use this week's flashback favorites to make sure you're setting yourself up for success. Your BZ team will be doing the same, and we look forward to writing to you in the new year!
We love you. Be happy & be well.
THE BLACK ZEN TEAM