January 1st rolls around. The gym fills up, the diets start, and the over-promises and under-deliveries fly out of your mouth like Donald Trump’s short run as President thus far. We absolutely love January as the key ingredient to make changes.
It’s as if you can’t set goals without January, kind of like trying to bake bread without yeast. It’s possible, but it’s much more rare.
In case you’re unsure about change, it can occur at any time. In fact, change can occur so fast, you can modify the course of your life at the snap of a finger. Literally from one day to the next, and if you’re really following me here, from one moment to the next. All it takes is realizing that you’re no longer serving your life in your old habits or thoughts and shifting your momentum. This is how addicts are able to claw their way out of rock-bottom and turn their life around, how overweight people become fit, and how criminals decide they’ve had enough of that life. No one said it would be easy, and no one said it wouldn’t come with its ups and downs, but that isn’t the point of this article.
We love January because it’s another new year, which means a new you: “#newyearnewme”. I know you’ve seen that. Last I checked, the Sun came up the exact same way on December 31st as it did January 1st, and it’ll continue this pattern for millions of years. Which means there’s nothing new about it. So why exactly are you waiting for the New Year to make a change? Try this:
Use your birthday to take stock of your “inventory” and decide what’s working and what’s not.
Just like the New Year, you shouldn’t really wait until your birthday to try and implement changes. If you want something different, you have to do something different. But nonetheless, it’s a good opportunity to take a step back, assess your habits, and potentially make a real effort at a change or two with some new goals. Why not do it on a day that truly represents your time on this planet? I’d wager it’s a bit more of a page turn then a new calendar year.
If the New Year works for you and you’ve got a solid track record with it, keep it up and use your birthday as a bonus. But if you find yourself hyped for the first two weeks of January and then burning out, try an approach that’s a little more about baby-steps, and doesn’t have that “early January” feel. Slow and steady wins the race, kids. This is true for almost all personal development and growth in your life.
Yes, massive action will get you massive results; but who has the energy and discipline to keep this momentum long-term? Be real with yourself. Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, you may not see the fruits of your labor tomorrow, next week, or even next month. This is exactly why taking your time to implement new routines, habits, and thought-processes is best suited for the average person. I hate to burst your bubble, but most of us are, in fact, average. Your mom may have told you that you were special growing up, until real life walked up and bitch-slapped you out of nowhere. And it became apparent it takes a little more to grab life by the horns.
So if you want to implement a change at any time, in any place, you have 100% control to make that a reality. But if you really need a reason to fairly assess where you find yourself, then identify a new goal or areas that need improvement on no other day than when you were brought into this lovely world.
Just make sure to give yourself a little self-love and acknowledge how far you’ve come.
