Keeping the New Year New Me Mindset

How to Keep the New Year New Me Mindset

Ah, the good old, “new year, new me” mantra. It’s a mantra everyone knows but one that hibernates 11 months out of the year and when it does show its face it sticks around for all of a month- if that. Well, folks, that time is gone and I know that the “new me” still has a lot of work to do.

So, I’ve been over here trying to make a game plan for the year in order to refresh and stay motivated to keep that new year, new me mindset. Here’s how I got started.

1.  Clean up your life– Literally. Okay, okay, what I mean is take steps to declutter and clear out. You can’t accomplish anything new if you are still tempted by the old. Try to eliminate what you can (reasonably) that will allow you to move forward. Let me break it down.
   1. Declutter your inbox– This is something that is always on my to-do list. Something I just recently tried was called Unroll.me, it is a great tool just to see in one place all of the email subscriptions you have flooding your inbox, and makes it easy to unsubscribe. It is a slower process
   2. Take on that wardrobe– Come on you can do it! Think of all those clothes that are just hanging in your closet day after day as you push them aside to grab that sweater you’ve worn five times this month! Clear those items out, bring them to your nearest consignment or donate them, and feel good about helping others, maybe making some money back on previous investments, and simplifying your life. (Bonus*- Turn your hangers around so they are facing backward, everytime you wear an article hang it up normally and by the end of the year you will have a better idea of what you haven’t touched)
   3. Clean out your phone– I can honestly tell you that this caused a lot of stress for me. Having to rely so much on my phone for my schedule and emails on-the-go, not to mention that dreaded moment where there is the perfect photo-op and I get that “Storage Full” message. One of the best things I did this year is go through and clean out old pictures that I don’t need, delete those old text threads from 2015, and delete apps that I don’t use or no longer want to be consumed by. Even go through your contacts and delete those numbers you haven’t used i.e. that “best friend from junior high” who you haven’t spoken to since 2010 except that one time in the hallway at high school. You’d be surprised how much of a mental relief you’ll get from it!
2. Schedule time-off as a rule– Your body and mind cannot make adjustments if you don’t allow it. I don’t know what this means for you but for me its about allowing myself to do things for me, whether that means scheduling a day off to accomplish some t0-do’s or just to get in some good R & R. This could even mean scheduling some time off from social media every other month or so if you have a business that runs off of it. Give yourself the time in your schedule to treat yourself, remind yourself you’re loved and recharge.
3. Make your goals visual– It’s one thing to say you have goals and know that there are things you may want to accomplish but until you write it down, make it visual, and commit to a goal, you are less likely to achieve it. It’s sadly the reality of it. So, making your goals visual is the best way to keep the mindset of achieving them. Try making a motivation board with all your goals laid out in pictures, words or objects, hang it in your office or room and use it as a way to track your progress or as a reminder of what you can accomplish.
4. Make sure your goals are realistic– Now I know this is hard for everyone to consider but making a goal to lose 20 pounds in a week just isn’t going to happen. Not reaching that goal will only leave you feeling defeated and probably more unlikely to make new goals or accomplish old ones. Making sure that you have realistic goals, and even breaking them down into smaller attainable goals will allow you to make a game plan and feel more accomplished.
5. Find what keeps you motivated and invest in them– There is nothing like feeling lost or behind when it comes to finding a path to achieving goals. Find some tools and tips that can provide advice and ideas on getting there, or find a buddy to keep you accountable and be sure to do the same for them.
6. Become comfortable with the uncomfortable– Denial is never your friend. It took me some time to admit that I could never achieve my goals. This was because I was in denial that what my goals aimed to change was a problem in the first place. I realized that I had to become comfortable with where I am and who I am at this point in time and that these goals are there to help you get to the place where you want to be for yourself, the “new you.” Once I admitted it, I made sure to use the uncomfortable parts of my life as the motivation to make these changes.
7. Go easy on yourself– I’ve said this before but it is so important you guys. If we are not forgiving and understanding that we are not perfect, that some days will be hard and there will be setbacks, then we will run ourselves dry. You are human, change doesn’t happen overnight.

Remember, you are strong, you are amazing, and you can accomplish anything you put your mind to. Don’t give up on everything you want to accomplish this year, achieve it and so much more. You’ll thank yourself later. No matter what, you deserve this because YOU ARE WORTH IT!