I can't believe how quickly 2019 has gone by! Does it feel that way to you too??
For me, some of the highlights form this year include:
moving from DC, after calling it home for the past 5 years
passing my first adult ice skating test (about 10 years in the making!)
seeing 3 Broadway musicals in NYC the week of my birthday
investing in my personal and profession development
conducting my first in-person career workshop in Chicago
And now we’re almost into a new year - a new decade (!) - which usually means resolutions. In the past I’d set so many of resolutions every year...some lasted longer than others, but usually I’d miss one day or week and by the end of month 2 or 3, they would have all gone out the window.
After a while, it wasn’t even fun. Most of my resolutions made me feel like I was doing something wrong with my life. And it felt like a grueling experience trying to keep up with all of them.
Finally, I just stopped doing resolutions all together.
Then earlier this year, I came across this post by Gretchen Rubin about picking a theme for the year as our resolution...and it really intrigued me.
Why, you ask?
I’m finding that this idea fits in with my process of creating a holistic vision for the year. I don’t feel like I’m being pulled in different directions or that I have a million things to keep track of. And it’s fun to think of the one word that encompasses what I want to achieve.
After I saw Gretchen's post, I looked back to the personal and professional goals I’d outlined for 2019 and realized that there was a recurring theme: Growth
So, how does framing my resolution as a theme differ from how I used to frame my resolutions?
For example, let’s use my theme from this year...
My old way of looking at resolutions:
As of January 1st,
Go to the gym 4 x a week
Eat at home unless I was eating with someone else (I used to eat take-out way too often)
Watch only 1 hour of TV a night
.
.
.
(you get the picture)
My new way of looking at resolutions:
The overarching theme for my year is growth...I’d love to achieve more growth in myself, my creativity, my business, and in building and strengthening my relationships
Before my resolutions always had all these parameters and I felt like I was locked in...that if I didn’t do it exactly as I’d laid it out on December 31st, I’d failed…AND I realized that I was always choosing things that I either felt were limiting my lifestyle or that I wouldn’t do unless I had them listed as resolutions. By choosing a theme, I feel like I’m allowing for more flexibility and flow - I can choose activities or goals that fit under that theme in the moment, at any point in the year.
So...what would your theme for 2020 be?
And if you want to share this with someone you think might find this helpful, please do!
Cheers,
Vidya