My 2023 Resolutions
I have always been the queen of resolutions. That's right - I'm self-proclaiming myself QUEEN. But ask anyone who knows me well, and they will tell you the same thing.
One year, I actually had a spreadsheet to organise all of my resolutions 😂😂
I don't know... there's something about the new year that feels so special to me. It's the first page in a book of 365 pages that we get to write. It's a blank canvas. A fresh start.
But there's one big lesson that I learned in the past couple of years: there's a difference between making resolutions, enthusiastically making plans for the new year, day dreaming... VS trying to control the future.
In the past, my resolutions were quite rigid. I had very strict rules for how I was going to live my life and I had a very specific image in mind of how the year would unfold for me.
But then...
...2020 brought on a pandemic.
...In 2021 I quit my job and changed my whole entire life over-night.
...In 2022 I operated big changes in my business, bought my first home, moved in the mountains, and lost a dear family member.
The fact is, on December 31st, we have no idea what awaits us. To be real, we don't even know if we'll make it to the end of the year!
So, this year, I decided to make my resolutions a little bit differently.
Instead of having a specific set of "rules" (No more this, no more that, do more of this, do that 3x/week, blah blah blah), I have decided to make resolutions in the form of themes that will guide me through the year, no matter what experiences or circumstances I go through. The themes will be my guiding intentions and will inform my actions, my lifestyle, the projects I make and, essentially, who I will be.
THEME #1 - EMBODY THE YOGA TEACHER'S IDENTITY
This year, I created something that is, without a doubt, my biggest accomplishment yet: I have opened my virtual yoga studio, called Home Practice Studio.
The studio is a long-term project that will keep evolving over the years and, here's the thing: it has completely changed my lifestyle.
See, I offer lots of fresh content on the studio and, as a result, I am constantly filming yoga videos, meaning that I am now doing an average of 2h of intensive yoga every single day. This requires some changes in my daily habits - or at least, a shift in my priorities. Proper sleep is non-negotiable now. A healthy diet is crucial. Frequent relaxation is essential.
So, without coming up with a set of rigid rules to follow, my intention is to embody the identity of the active yoga teacher - which is what I am (it's kind of hard to wrap my head around that haha!).
Here's the thing about identities: we all have one. In fact, we need one.
Some people embody the identity of "the smoker".
Some embody the one of "the party animal".
Others embody "the career woman"
These identities influence the way we behave, the choices we make, the actions we take... everything.
And we get to choose which identity we want to embody.
Want to do more jogging next year? Instead of thinking: "I will do more jogging", think: "I am a jogger".
As for me, I am an active Yoga Teacher.
THEME #2 - ROMANTICISING LIFE
To me, romanticising life means to make the small moments count.
My boyfriend does this so well. He always says: "if you're gonna do it, might as well do it right". What he means by that is...
... if you're going to watch a movie, might as well bring down all the blankets, make some tea, and watch it on the big screen.
... if you're going to make coffee, might as well add some cinnamon to the frothed milk.
... if you're going to cook, might as well put some music on and have a glass of wine.
Basically - it's about intentionally making the small moments of every day special.
A few examples of what that might look like for me:
>> Less podcasts when I take my dog out - more silence and enjoying the peace and quiet.
>> Playing more music in the house. Not from my phone, but from the surround sound - because if you're gonna do it, might as well do it right.
>> More reading on the couch - and read more fiction books.
>> More sleeping in on Sunday mornings (I tend to get impatient with these things... but I think it's a skill that can be learned).
>> Make Sunday dinners special
>> Lighting candles when I take a bath
>> Journaling way more - it bothers me that, when I look back on 2022, there are lots of moments that I don't recall.
>> Listening to soothing instrumental music while I work - it makes everything nicer.
Again, this theme will inform the way I live my daily life instead of having a set of rules like "no more Netflix" or "no social media after 9pm" - instead, I'll keep this theme of romanticising the small moments in mind and let it inform my actions.
THEME #3 - CULTIVATING TRANQUILITY
Tranquility is my word for 2023 - mostly because the end of 2022 has been anything but tranquil for me.
To be honest, I feel like this theme might change around the summer of 2023. For the moment, it feels like a natural desire after a few hectic and emotionally-heavy months. But I know that once things settle down a bit, I might crave more fun, adventure, or spontaneity. But, for now, tranquility feels perfect.
I have learned my lesson though: I can't control what's going to happen in 2023. For all I know, there might be another pandemic, a third world war, honestly, who knows. Cultivating tranquility doesn't mean that I expect external events to be tranquil - although I sure hope that they are. But it means that I will do my very best to cultivate a tranquil mindset whatever is going on around me.
We cannot control what happens in life - but we get to control how we respond to life.
I feel really good having these three themes as my guides for next year. I hope that this inspires you to think about what your intentions are for next year, without feeling the pressure to set rigid rules for yourself.
Happy New Year my friends!