Happy New Year everyone. I hope you had a wonderful time over the festive period and spent some time catching up with family and friends. I’m sure by now, like me you are full of food and can’t imagine ever being hungry again.
But now that 2021 has ended, have a think back to what you did last year. What did you enjoy and what didn’t you? This time of year is great for reflection, think about where you were and where you are now. What are you most proud of? Your year will always have peaks and troughs, some days will always be harder, sadder, or more disappointing than others but that is life. When those days or times occurred what did you do? What helped you to keep taking a step forward?
Think about this as you make plans for 2022. What will help you when things don’t go to plan? What can be your security blanket. Here are some ideas:
- create a playlist for a run or walk that allows you to stomp out your grrrr.
- Set up a weekly call or coffee shop meet up with your friends so you can catch up and let them know how things are or are not going.
So, what are your plans for 2022? If you don’t have any, I know the feeling. Thinking about it though, do you want to make plans? Or do you feel like you need or have too? Maybe this is the year to think about things differently…
Have you ever walked through a maze? Trying to find your way to the centre when you can’t see anything other than what’s in front of you? Each crossroad you come too, you have to blindly pick a way and hope it leads to another left or right turn taking you to the middle. You don’t know what’s around the corner, as you can’t see over the hedge or maize so you can only focus on the path in front of you.
Think of this year, 2022 and navigating your way through it like a maze. Making decisions in the maze, do you go left or right, that first decision will get you started on your adventure but can often be the hardest.
Once your in the maze, it may take a while before you discover the path you are on won’t take you to the middle or your goal but does it really matter? Your journey may have been extended but what did you learn along the way? What did you see that you wouldn’t have otherwise come across? Whilst in a maze there may be right and wrong turns to get to the centre and back out again, every decision you make in life is an opportunity for you to try or see something new.
You will likely start off positive and raring to go, trying as many paths as possible and the more paths you take which aren’t helping you or inspiring you, your motivation levels will start to wane. When this happens, stop, think about where you want to go. Perhaps things have changed and your original plan isn’t what you want anymore. Once you have had a moment to take a breath and look at your options, select a new direction.
The path to a maze will lead you to the centre and then back out again. Your year can be focused on getting to the centre which is the main target for you. Reaching that goal regardless of what it is, is the focus. But what next. You wouldn’t reach the centre of the maze and then sit there for the rest of your life. No, you now need to get out of the maze again. Think of this part as sustaining your achievement. The path out of the maze can be challenging. You got what you wanted and now you need to keep the motivation and thrill of the journey going.
If you started a new business, how do you find more customers? What is your marketing strategy to keep it going? Or did you get to your goal weight? What can you do to sustain it and ensure you maintain the weight? Are you continuing to eat well and do the exercise? Maybe you have learnt a new language and have completed all the lessons you can, what’s next? Have you booked your holiday to the country of the language you now know? Or are you finding a local group to meet and practice with.
Whilst we are so great at setting goals, once they are reached we often say ‘yay, we did it’, and that’s it. This is good for many goals but what about the examples above? If you stop, then your business will likely not continue to do well, or you’ll start to put the weight back on and the language you have spent so long learning will start to disappear from your head. Think about creating an add on, to keep your momentum going. This is the journey from the centre of the maze back out. It’s a continuation.
Whatever you decide to do in 2022, remember you can change your mind at any point. Learn as you go and find the path that suits you best. Enjoy, not just the journey to the centre of your maze but the exciting path out as well.
If you are unsure of where to start and what to do, just put one foot in front of the other and begin.
Wishing you all the very best for 2022, I hope it is a happy and healthy year full of laughter.
Take care and look after you.
Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 