The holidays are over. The kids are back in school. It's time to take the decorations down and get back on a regular schedule. Time to get on track to feel better and to accomplish things so that when we're ringing in 2018, we look back and say, "2017 was a great year!" Won't that be awesome?
To be healthy and productive, we need to make plans and take action. But, that's not always so easy, is it? I don't think so. It may take time to decide what you really want, who you want to be, and how you're going to achieve these things.
If you're still figuring it out, keep the following things in mind. I point them out because they are things I struggle with. Things I have to remind myself. I’m sure you’ve heard them before and they may seem obvious, but as Brendon Burchard (one of my mentors) says, “Common sense isn’t always common practice.” So, they bear repeating and thinking about.
Don't compare yourself to others. Not your body, your career, your relationships, your successes, your challenges, your goals. Decide what will make YOU happy.
Don't look back to determine your path forward. Your past may have shaped who you are, but it doesn't define your future. And, it really is not too late to change course.
The things that reap the greatest rewards often seem the most scary, overwhelming, time-consuming. But, don’t cross them off your list of goals too quickly. Consider the rewards, the best-case scenario. Scary and overwhelming doesn’t mean you can’t do it or that it’ll kill you. And, the time will pass anyway. What else are you planning to do with that time? Will it result in great fulfillment?
Don’t let yourself become paralyzed with indecision. This is one I really fight. I know it stems from wanting to be perfect. And, yes, I know no one is perfect. And, I know there usually isn’t a right and a wrong decision—nothing is so black & white. And, as my mother has told me since I was a child, “To not decide is to decide.” Yes, I know. Just pick something. Make it work. Or, don’t make it work. Fix it. Or, don't fix it. Learn from it and move on.
We want this to be our best year yet, right? Then we've got to make plans, take action, and possibly get out of our own way. I know you can do it. Let's make 2017 the year we all achieve great things :)