Rest, Reflect, Reset, Reason. 

Rest, Reflect, Reset, Reason. 

I have never been one for New Years’ resolutions. I have written and spoken about this many times. The calendar is a man-made construct and setting ourselves new and often difficult challenges to navigate at what is already one of the most challenging times of the year is a recipe for disaster. 

It’s enough that the days are drab and dark once the Christmas lights are down, without putting any unnecessary pressure on ourselves. 

If you want to make changes, do that when the time feels right and not because a pope in the sixteenth century decided arbitrarily that January 1st was the first day of the year. 

In terms of importance, January 1st carries no more weight than July 27th or any random Thursday in October. We assign gravitas and meaning to dates, so that’s why you pick one that works for you. 

Rest

Take some time out after the holidays to just rest. It’s important. More than any other holiday in the year, the Christmas period tends to be busy and exhausting. Make sure you prioritise rest and recharging. 

Reflect

Instead of thinking about all the things you want to do differently in 2024, I urge you to consider all the things that went well in 2023 and do more of those. What made you smile? Who made you feel safe? When did you feel happiest? What were you grateful for in 2023? 

Reset

While we aren’t looking to set ourselves challenges as the old year ticks over into the new, there is something to be said about doing a little life audit and leaving behind that which no longer serves us. 

There are bound to be some situations, some words, some people that deserve to be left in 2023 and that’s okay. Always a good idea to check your boundaries and see if they need a little reset. 

A setback is often a redirection in disguise and a stumbling block can be a stepping stone, you just need to stay open to possibilities. 

Reason 

You may be wondering why I have posted this today and not on January 1st. In keeping with the spirit I am trying to share, and proving that we assign importance to dates ourselves, today is the first anniversary of starting my business – happy biz birthday to me! 

Reflecting on the year I have had has been interesting. There have been some highs and some lows, but I lived to tell the tale and I am excited to see where the next twelve months take me. 

In my last job, towards the end, I cried every morning before I went to work, right up until the day they let me go. And by that, I mean the day they freed me. Their loss and absolutely definitely my gain. I’m not going to lie, I have cried lots of times over this past year, but never once because I don’t want to be doing what I’m doing, 

Thank you for your support as I took my first faltering steps into self-employment. I am incredibly proud of some of the things I achieved and although there were also some tough lessons, I know I made the right decision.