For many, a new year is synonymous with new beginnings. This New Year can mean a fresh start, or a do-over. Many people write resolutions for the new year, to only find several weeks down the road either changes have not been made, follow through didn’t happen, or you can’t even find the paper you made your list on.
May I suggest viewing these changes as a marathon and not a sprint? As caregivers, either of others or of ourselves, we tend to want everything microwave quick. We desire instant change. If we do not see instant change, often we forget about the project, or feel it is too overwhelming of a goal. I am going to give an overview of twelve areas of change. These areas are from the Wellness Inventory Assessment. Keep in mind these areas overlap and even subtle changes in one area can impact the others.
Another area to consider is to ask yourself if you are really ready for change. Some people only think about changing, while others are ready for action. This makes a big difference in your success of changing behaviors. If you are only thinking about change, what steps can you take to be ready for action? The other areas to consider is are you ready to learn, or are you holding on tightly to your views that you feel protective when ideas other than your own are suggested? You need to open up and be in a learning mode to wholeheartedly embrace change. We are going to take a brief overview of twelve areas for balance. As you view these areas, you may want to highlight the areas where you feel you are most motivated for change. Leaks in any of these areas can bring energy drain.
1.Self responsibility and love: Do you take responsibility for your health and life? How do you feel about yourself? Do you love yourself? Do you love yourself just as you are? This area is the very foundation for the balance you want to achieve.
2.Breathing: Do you take time to be aware of your breathing? Do you take time to be present with where you are? This area is often the most overlooked. I know it was in my life. This area helps with the fight or flight response that is so overworked these days. Breathing can help relieve tension.
3.Sensing: Are you aware of your surroundings? How can you increase the awareness of what is around you? Try going for a walk and allowing your senses to take over. Be mindful of what you hear, what you see, and what you smell on that walk. This is an area that can really add richness to your life.
4.Eating: Surround yourself with wholesome, nourishing foods. If you have an active lifestyle, be sure to plan ahead and have healthy choices in place.
5.Moving: Moving doesn’t have to be boring or hard to do. If you don’t move now, can you turn on some good music and just dance? Try some fun exercise DVD’s, or get out for a walk.
6.Feeling: Anger, fear, sadness, joy, guilt…How do you exhibit these emotions and feelings?
7.Thinking: Do you employ negative thinking? Your thought patterns, do you allow your thoughts to be your reality? These areas, the feeling and thinking can literally bring you down and affect the other areas negatively. OR, the way you learn to think and feel can bring revolution to your life.
8.Playing & Working: Finding balance between work and play can be a challenge. If you are totally burned out in your work, maybe it’s time to be honest and look for a change of scenery. I know having more play time this year is a top priority for me.
9.Communicating: The way we think and the way we feel can form the communication that is transmitted to others. How is our self-talk? How are we perceived by others? How do we perceive others? Do you say yes, when you really mean no? Do you really listen to the other person?
10.Intimacy: Is this an area that needs to improve? Are you comfortable with this subject? Do you think how you feel about yourself can impact this area? How about how you feel about the other person? Does unresolved conflict hinder this area?
11.Finding Meaning: This is a deep one, but one often overlooked. Is there something you really want to be doing, and know you should be doing, but you ignore this?
12.Transcending: This is where deeper meaning and Spirituality take part. I personally am a Christian and this area for me entails my relationship with God. The Oneness I have with him. The prayer, meditation, and devotional time. This may mean something a little different to others. For me this area is the whole of the rest of the wheel and I can see the impact of this area in all others. This area may take on a different meaning for others. But for all, this is the area of knowing the whole of who we are.
Setting goals and implementing the plan is the next step. This step is another area where people can set themselves up for failure. Often the goals are right, but there are no steps put in place to get there. Steps can be made that are too big. Smaller steps toward the same goal are more easily obtained and followed through on than large steps.
You may find there are goals you want to set in every area. That is fine. Just don’t overwhelm yourself with trying to make all the changes in all categories at once. Some areas will overlap. For instance, you may start working toward steps in the eating and moving categories, but then spend the first month really concentrating on self responsibility and love, or breathing.
Finding someone to be accountable to can assist in ensuring success in the changes you want to make. Having a coach is a relatively new concept. To be honest, I had never heard of coaching until a few years ago. I employed a life coach, and it changed my life. I am now a wellness coach, and I have found when I listen to my clients, they really already know the answers for them. It is just a matter of helping them be able to articulate what they are looking for, and realize where it is they want to go and what is priority for them. Another thing I do as a coach is to assist my clients in prioritizing what is important to them.
When I first took a Wellness Inventory Assessment, I thought my priority was to finish releasing 30 pounds of fat I so wanting to rid myself of. When I took the assessment, what I realized was I needed to play more and breathe more. This ended up being priority for me, and until these areas were addressed, I really didn’t have myself in line to be able to concentrate on releasing that weight. Honestly, when I was able to get my priorities straight, I was able to love myself just as I was. As a result of that, my self-responsibility and love balanced out, and I am now able to move more, eat better, and start releasing that fat.
Entering a new year can be exciting and full of new beginnings. Take time to find out where your priorities really are, map out where you want to go, and take small measureable goals to get there.
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