2017 – Here I come!
I have to admit it. January is my least favourite month of the year. It’s long, it’s cold and I’ve already had three dental appointments … but, it is also the beginning of a new year and that means I launch into a real cleaning spree. I start in the kitchen where I go on for hours emptying and cleaning shelves, cleaning the fridge and stove and making my way gradually, room by room, throughout the entire house. I admit it is time-consuming but I don’t mind. It’s cathartic. The old year belongs in the past now and I’m more than ready for the New Year to begin.
The New Year also means New Year’s resolutions. What are yours this year? Organizing, losing weight, exercising?
How many New Year’s resolutions have you made in your life? How many have you successfully accomplished? The estimate is that less than 10% of New Year’s resolutions are actually achieved (University of Scranton Psychology Professor John C. Norcross, Ph.D.).
I suggest that in order to succeed with your goals make sure they are manageable and concrete. Change the goal of “I want to be more organized” to “I will empty the dishwasher in the evening so that I have more time in the morning” or “As soon as the laundry is done I will fold it and put it away”. As these are new habits, you need to make yourself reminders (post-it notes for example) and be kind to yourself in case you forget. Forgetting is not a failure, simply start again the next day. It takes time to create a new habit.
Here are some suggestions for the New Year:
- Focus on ONE thing at a time (it’s harder than it sounds)
- Make your bed every day
- Open your mail regularly (at least once a week)
- Clean your dishes after each meal
- Put dirty laundry in the hamper
- Fix that broken chair or let it go
- Make space to park your car in the garage
- Use the new blender or give it to a friend
- Create a new habit of your choice
- Enjoy being surrounded by the things you have
We all have hopes and dreams for a new year, but what I wish for you is that it will be a HAPPY ONE!
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