Does anyone else feel like they have an especially hard time jumping into the new year? At the end of each year, I actively try to put myself in a positive headspace for January and every year I seem to fail.
I am going to pull one of those “the grass is always greener” stunts on you. I envy those who go back to an office job in January. Yes, I said that. I feel like it forces you to get into the groove and back in a semi-normal routine after the holidays. I know, I am sure every person who does this would beg to differ, but the grass is always greener, right?
Let me tell you, it has not been easy to find my motivation to work or simply behave as a human in society. Netflix has seen my face more than my friends and family the past few days. We are around a third of the way through January and I am finally feeling like myself again. I still have quite a ways to go before I am my full-fledge go-getter self again, but I can finally see the light!
There are a couple of things I have actively implemented into my life over the past eight or so days that I feel have helped fuel my passion again, so I thought I would share for any of you who are also finding it hard to get back into the swing of things.
1. Purging My Life
I am a total sucker for any TV show that helps you get organized. When I heard about the series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix, I literally raced to my TV. I find seeing an example makes it so much easier to purge through your life. I am not going to sit here and explain her method. One, because I only got through half of the first episode and found the inspiration I needed. I noted her big “rules” and started implementing them in my life. Two, because it really is a great show and does not take long to watch (since I quit halfway through, I have gone back and binge-watched the other episodes). If you are overwhelmed and feel like you are drowning in stuff, I highly suggest this series to get you inspired. Finally, I feel like I am on the road to a more minimal lifestyle and it feels so refreshing!
2. Plan
Each Christmas, my most sought after gift for myself is my planner for the following year. I have tried virtually every planner. I have purchased the same ones multiple years in a row and I have switched halfway through years. I am not bound to one planner, and I am still on the hunt for my perfect coveted planner after nearly 10 years of experimenting. I do put nearly everything in my phone calendar in order to receive reminders, but there is something so satisfying about having a physical copy of your schedule. Not only is it easier to read, but you are able to make additional notes that you typically don’t want to take the time to write in your phone. I have been very proactive with using my planner this year and plan on writing a post dedicated to using planners in the very near future.
3. Skin
The one major thing I always try to avoid doing over the holiday months is consuming too much food and drink that I know will irritate my skin. Yet, every year, I consume copious amount of said food and beverage. Towards the end of 2018, I was spending far too much money on skin care products trying to keep up with the blotchiness, breakouts, and dryness I was causing. I was searching for a quick fix. Inevitably, I knew loading my skin up with products would not fix my problem because my skin was reacting to my diet, so I turned a blind eye until January. Now, I am paying for it majorly! I have combated it by returning to my normal diet and drinking copious amount of water and my skin is visibly thanking me.
4. Your Word
I am not really into new years resolutions I find them stressful and I ultimately end up feeling more dissatisfied with myself than before I set the resolution. I wrote a blog all about this which you can read here. Last year, instead of making a resolution, I chose a word to dedicate to my life. I am doing the same thing this year, and I am excited to see how my word, “growing” or “growth”, manifests in my life over the course of the year.
5. Mindfulness
The last one is really a couple different ideas combined. As cliché as it sounds, I want to enjoy the little things, find joy in the little things, and always look on the brighter side. This is the most mentally challenging one for me. Instead of feeling frustrated or anxious in situations, I am actively seeking out the positives. Whether that be sitting in traffic, having a lull in business, or any other task that might not be ideal, I want to find the joy in it.
I am really bad about sticking to things. I started off telling myself I would only focus on one thing and ended up with a list of five. However, I feel like these different implements relate to very different parts of my life, thus making them easier to follow. At least that is what I am telling myself.