staying motivated

A New Year Begins, Again

In our house, January is a time to reflect on the past year, adjust the sails, dream big dreams and set intentions for the new year. Ahhh, I love the feeling of a fresh start and clean slate that comes with each January. Don’t you? I feel energized,  inspired and motivated by all of the opportunities for love, for change, for learning and for growth. 

The Intention, The Reality

Yes, this is me all feeling good, pie in the sky, pumped on January 1, proudly waving my well thought out, neatly printed “Intentions for 2020”, feeling so proud and accomplished. Oh, how I love myself at this time. My little voice inside says, “High five… damn girl, you got it tooogether, and you’re going to do great things this year.” But, what happens seven to ten days into the month, after the hyped energy fades? And let’s be honest, making the beautifully crafted list is the easy part, right? Believe me, I know this from last year and from the year before that. Will I unconsciously revert back to my old, comfortable routines and habits? Will I slow down long enough to have some self awareness rather than merely going through the motions and charging forward aimlessly? Research says YES to the first question and NO to the second, and apparently this happens to most of us, so I guess we’re all in good, mortal company. Hence, the the rush to the gym with the “eye of the tiger” enthusiasm on January 1, followed by a slow, steady decline in attendance as the month progresses. 

Change Is Hard Sh@#!

I know because I’m the blond, middle-aged mom of three right there beside you on the treadmill at the gym (and in life), internally (and sometimes externally) kicking and screaming in resistance, and that’s when I’m at my best and capable of the good fight. Other times, I’m waving a white flag in defeat, either consciously or unconsciously. The struggle is real! With a basic understanding of human behavior and some level of self awareness, I know it’s not an easy or solo endeavor to change old patterns, habits and behaviors. Over time and through trial and error, what I have learned is without God, intention, a good plan, execution, accountability and other supportive people, well, nothing will happen or change. And even then, as a human, I’ll slip back here and there, beginning again and again, looking to the Divine for guidance and grace. 

Breaking It Down

With all of that said and acknowledging the challenges, I’ve been brainstorming ideas and strategies for how I will stay on track and remain inspired for all of the months in 2020. Breaking down my intentions into measurable action steps helps me plan for reaching my goals. I’ve been looking at my list and identifying themes, actions, desired feelings and then attaching a word that will help me focus my energy and attention. I have friends who chose a word, a mantra, for the entire year, and I love that idea. Adapting this practice, I am pairing a word with each month that captures my mantra for that month… a different one for each month of this year. I see these words less as concrete goals, rather as tools for finding focus so I can achieve my goals. 

January Mantra

So, here we go… my word for January is MOTIVATE! The get moving and keep moving kind of motivate, for the entire month of January and for the entire year. And also, motivation to inspire, create, love, connect and grow! May this be your best January and new year yet! May all of your hopes and dreams be realized! Sending you so much positive energy and love! Thank you for honoring me with your presence on this blog! If you feel so inspired, please drop a comment below.

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