A New Year - A New Beginning

 

First of all, we would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! Hopefully, 2018 will be great a great year for everyone!

Many people take advantage of this time of year by starting a new hobby or by making changes to their lifestyle (preferably for the good!). Making life changes at this time of year can be a double edged sword. Psychologically, the new year is a time for new beginnings, so trying new things can be complimentary to the season. On the other hand, the Christmas and New Year period can be a stressful time of year, which can add negative pressure to your good intentions. Being in a good frame of mind is one of the overriding factors to being successful in your endeavours.

So how does one stay on the path of righteousness?

There is no ideal time of year to start a new hobby or make lifestyle changes. Make such changes when you are in a positive frame of mind, not when the seasons dictate. Adding such pressures to yourself, just after Christmas, may not be ideal for everyone. As an alternative, try starting your new regime in February instead, once the pressures of the holiday season are over.

It is important to make a plan. Most people, when making new year's resolutions, begin by writing a comprehensive list. This usually manifests as a bullet list of all the ways in which a person thinks they should improve their life/lifestyle. Doing this can often be a mistake as this simply adds to the pressure, by making a task seem more daunting . Instead of doing this, try and make a simple plan of action, with specific, achievable goals.

Don't make too many resolutions at once. Try sticking to one or two or a maximum of three resolutions. The fewer resolutions you make, the easier they will be to focus on. 

Gently does it! Start small. Be gradual. Smaller goals are easier to achieve. Celebrate your achievements to give yourself a boost. If your goals turn out to be difficult to achieve, try smaller goals or breaking down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.

Stay focused and be passionate. Whatever you want to do, be enthusiastic about it. Focusing on the peripherals of an activity can help keep you interested (for example reading magazines or watching programs about your preferred activity, can help motivate you and give you realistic targets to achieve).

Remember - you are doing this to improve yourself and your life. You want to do it to better, for yourself. You are not doing it for anyone else. It must be you who wants it. Yes, this may sound like common sense or perhaps like motivational speakers' psycho babble but in fact, things really can be that simple.

Good luck with your resolutions!

The Bushgear Team