New Year Resolutions: A mindful perspective

Every January, millions of people set New Year’s resolutions with the hope of improving their lives. Whether it’s getting fitter, earning more money, changing careers or becoming happier, the intention is usually positive. Yet for many people, those goals quickly become another source of pressure, guilt and disappointment. Lasting personal change rarely happens through self-criticism or unrealistic expectations. Instead, meaningful growth often begins with acceptance, self-awareness and taking one small step at a time. 

A New Year’s resolution is an expectation – and expectations can make us hostages to disappointment. So why put ourselves under that kind of pressure? A resolution hangs over us like CCTV with teeth, & it is going to hurt because the majority of us will not fulfil those contracts so fervently undertaken at the beginning of January.

The main problem is that we often find ourselves adhering to an agenda set by the consumer/marketing/media colossus whose sole aim is to shame us into investing in something to make us someone else. They are very good at it.

A different approach to personal change

This is where coaching can help offer a lasting alternative to the New Year ‘stick up’. The ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu is attributed as saying ‘A journey of a thousand miles began with one step’. A coaching journey is no different and begins and continues one step at a time and is based around acceptance.

Learning acceptance before change

Learning to accept that how we are right now, at this present moment, is how we are. That is, no guilt or personal recrimination for our current situation, just acceptance. Accepting that we can effect changes in our lives is our own choice.

Understanding that real and lasting change can begin right now, one step at a time - measured, gradual, but at the same time focused and relentless.

All it takes is a first step - so let’s go for a walk….