Merry Christmas (2023)
It’s that time of the year again. Christmas and the New Year are upon us. The time of stress and peace, the time of solitude and company, the time you spend with your family and loved ones. This is the best time for self reflection and regret. What did you do this year? Have achieved every goal and New Year’s resolutions? Or have you wasted most of the year as always? That is between you and yourself. If you feel like you haven’t done everything you wanted this year. Don’t worry, now is the perfect time for you to fix this. From December until January, you have plenty of time to get a head start. This is the time when everybody is lazy, busy stuffing their guts and watching Home Alone on Netflix. This is the best time for your “winter arc”… your “glow up”. Realistically, you cannot achieve much in these 2 months, but you can get ahead. You can develop better habits, you can start actually doing something. You can start writing, going to the gym, start learning a valuable skill. You simply can build a foundation for yourself and for your next year. Wouldn’t it be nice to look back next year, and be proud of yourself? Rather than realizing that your excuses were just that, excuses.
Here’s what you can do
Get a goal
Get a plan
Get to work
“If one does not know which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” - Annaeus Seneca
First, you’ll need a goal. This goal has to be a very specific, descriptive and concise. Otherwise, you won’t know what you are aiming for. Let’s say that you want to start going to the gym. Very reasonable goal and very self-explanatory. Now let’s make a plan; choose a gym that is close to you. You must minimize all friction between you and your goal. So pick one that is either close to your home or school/work. This way you won’t have an excuse that you are tired and the gym is far away anyway. Of course, I understand that some people will have no choice but to pick a gym that is not exactly behind their house. Sign up for a membership, buy necessary clothes and shoes, create your workout plan and stick to it. That is it… Get a goal, create a plan for achieving it, and stick with it. It’s also important to set realistic expectations and celebrate small successes along the way. Consistency is key when it comes to achieving goals, so make sure to prioritize your gym routine and fit it into your schedule. Additionally, you can find a workout buddy or join a fitness class for extra motivation and accountability. Remember to listen to your body and adjust your workout plan as needed. By following these steps, you’ll be well on your way to achieving your goal of starting a regular gym routine.
Next, I would recommend that you start using to-do lists. At the end of each day, plan out your next day. For example, I use TickTick, a cross-platform app for daily to-do lists and habits. It has a very generous free plan, but I would recommend upgrading to the premium version so you can take advantage of all its amazing features. It costs about $3 per month and is definitely worth it. Of course, there are also completely “free” alternatives you can use. Even if you were using pen and paper, to-do lists are amazing for time management. Especially if you combine them with reminders.
Building small and consistent habits
The importance of building small and consistent habits lies in the fact that they are easier to maintain than large, sweeping changes. When we try to make drastic changes to our behavior or lifestyle, it can be overwhelming and often leads to failure. However, by making small, incremental changes, we can build momentum and gradually develop new patterns of behavior that become second nature to us. Before you get your gym membership, try exercising at home. YouTube has plenty of guides for exercising at home with no equipment. Start small, begin each morning with a 20-minute workout and gradually add more exercises, increase the time and reps. Maybe after a week of consistently doing this, you could sign up for a gym membership. Make sure that you create the least amount of resistance in building a new habit, and start small.
Nothing changes if nothing changes
Finally, I would like to say that any change is on you. If you don’t change, nothing will change. If you don’t start improving yourself, you will remain in the same spot as last year. There is this belief that many people hold: if you were to go back in time, even the slightest change could alter the course of history. However, not as many believe that they have the power to make such changes in their own lives. They can, though, by making small adjustments each day, shape their own destinies.
Merry Christmas, my reader, and happy New Year. I hope you will accomplish everything you wanna accomplish. I hope that you will be successful, prosperous, healthy and abundant. Don’t forget to text your mom and dad, or even better, visit them during this holiday. You never know how much time you have left with them…