Take Only What You Need and Leave the Rest Behind: Less is More in Starting the New Year

What are resolutions?

Resolutions are promises we’ve made ourselves about what we will do better, differently or add to this year that we we were missing last year. Maybe that’s adding a workout regimen, including more time fore self-care, working harder to grow in your career or finally taking on an interesting hobby you’ve been passionate about for years. I don’t know about you but each year I think of putting more things in my personal arsenal that will make me or my life better. What if, after years of cultivating self and gaining our needs, we actually have exactly what we’ve always wanted but it’s gone unnoticed?

Shed More than a Few Extra Pounds

How we show up every day changes over time. New experiences, painful or joyful, have taught us whether or not it’s safe to let it all hang out and what “wobbly bits” to tuck away and hide from full view. We’ve built a sort of armor that keeps others at a distance. This wall is meant to shield us from experiencing any vulnerability to others judgment and opinions, but with this comes the loss of connection and opportunity for growth. Your shield can consist of this:

• Your job title: Hide behind privilege and “power”
• Your amount of “friends” or social status: Shrouded by popularity
• Your old wounds: I’m broken and scared and things can never be easy again
• Your responsibilities: I’m too busy to take time for me and my nurturing my authentic self
• Beliefs and Values of others: Ideology that no longer serves to support your personal sense of joy

In this new year, in your renewed season, it could be time to put down the things that are not contributing to our greater purposes in life and essential all our moment to moment happiness.

A Simple Beginning

We’ve ended the year, possibly with a laundry list of “to do’s” “must changes” “be betters” waiting for us to hurdle above in the new year. You’ve already endured enough of carrying around what you may have needed to get you as strong as you are now, but who starts the real 5k with the practice ankle weights still strapped to their legs? No one who wants to enjoy the run. Keep your beginning simple this year and all you have to do is show up. You’ve learned how to conqueror your other stuff, or you wouldn’t still be in the race now. Give yourself credit for your already earned ability and sprint through the beginning of this new year free and open to what else is out there for you to learn and grow with.