“The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday.”
It feels so good to get back into these articles! Lots has happened since December, and I'm excited to reveal it all to you in due time. I was blessed to spend time with my immediate family and best friend back home for both Christmas and New Years. This year couldn't have come to a better start.
When it was time to leave and settled back into routine, I could already feel myself failing my new year resolutions. I would push them saying "tomorrow", and "tomorrow" again. What do you do when you keep finding yourself saying "tomorrow", even if they're for legitimate reasons?
Often times, resolutions fail because you have too many. It gets overwhelming, and is hard to follow through; especially those daily resolutions like "paint everyday" or "post a new picture to build your social media everyday". You don't see an Olympian go for the gold by skipping warm-ups, do you? You don't see an Olympian made in one night, either. So pace yourself. I generally try to stick with three or four resolutions per year.
My 2016 Resolutions
post a new blog article/art piece every week
eat salad at least 3 times a week
bike at least 2 times a week
keep my work station clean everyday
Notice how all these resolutions are something I have control over. I'll admit, I failed the first several weeks on biking because I excused myself due to unusual rain. However, that's why I'm starting with baby steps. Recognize your strengths and weaknesses, and try to find a balance. Certain goals like "keep my work station clean everyday" are not as challenging for me because I enjoy cleaning. It is on my list not because I don't clean, but because I recognize when I work in a cluttered environment I get stressed and work less-efficiently. As this resolution becomes routine, I'll add onto it like "keeping my work station AND bedroom clean everyday".
It's also advisable to keep your resolutions specific with task and time. Having it set in a schedule makes you feel committed, and more likely to succeed. Try to make no exceptions for those resolutions, and have it work around your schedule. If you're forced to face nature or other elements you have no control over, be smart. If you can do it, do it. If it's too dangerous otherwise, don't.
Now you might be getting in that frustrated stage of not meeting your goals or expectations. Take a deep breath, and remember to embrace conflict. We're always told this as artists, and we know without conflict we cannot grow. Those frustrations or guilt feelings you or a loved one may be experiencing is normal. Keep persevering, and find ways to motivate yourself. You're not alone in this struggle.
One of my favorite things about resolutions is you can start and change them whenever you want. You don't need to wait for a New Year to happen, and you're not bailing on your resolution if you make alterations that are more likely to bring you to success than if you stuck with your initial plan. Believe in your decisions.
Lastly, get support and share your success with your support team. Whether it's your family, partner, friends, or someone else, having support always makes the journey easier and more enjoyable. Whatever you do, never ever forget to believe in yourself. Have faith and be the change you wish to see in yourself.
All my best,
Mina