New Year, Same Me!

I couldn't believe how many emails I've received over the past week with the subject line "New Year, New You". Of course, I was intrigued by the first one but after the last one this morning, I really became annoyed. What's wrong with the old me? And why do these newsletters/companies insist on playing on the same old theme that each year we need to change something about ourselves? So the positive of this all is I'm now writing which I've avoided the past year.

To say 2010 was a little hectic is an understatement. I continued to try and grow my counseling practice, teach more yoga classes, work full-time as an Online Marketing Consultant and plan a wedding. Throw in training and running a half marathon, actually get married and then have a spinal discectomy with fusion and I become a little dizzy thinking about it. Of course, as I live and breathe my day to day life, I would continue to put pressure on myself that I wasn't doing enough. Everyone has their "thing" and mine is probably being too hard on myself. As long as I could remember I would over commit. Always too quick to say "I'll do it!" and then when the time came to do all the things I committed to, I would feel exhausted and hold resentment. I do take pride in myself and the drastic improvements this past year in this area. I'm more comfortable saying no and I don't regret it when I do. What a relief! It's literally the feeling of having a thousand pound weight being lifted from your chest. Being able to breathe normally, wake up each morning without a feeling a dread, and be excited about what lies ahead is amazing.

Taking time to reflect on the previous year is the best part of the "New Year" for me. I'm not completely against resolutions, but we all know they are forgotten by Feb 1st. I truly believe it's because we over emphasize on what we want to change about ourselves. How about loving or being content with who we are and taking time to reflect on all the positives we've done throughout the year? Maybe we can build upon the positives instead of making resolutions to do what we really don't enjoy anyway. Was there something you did that is out of your ordinary that you really enjoyed? Give yourself a few hours to sit with a pen and paper and write down all the events, activities, situations that made you happy this past year. You may find a glimpse into your true self that you didn't know was there. Enjoy this New Year with the Same You!

Running the Fairfield Half Marathon

Wedding Day