Reframing New Year’s Resolutions
As a general rule of thumb, we at the Reflection Centre aren’t usually ones to push New Year’s Resolutions. Although they can be helpful for some people, these pie in the sky goals can often be discouraging after the “new year, new me” mentality fades and these goals are left unmet.
With that said, we do think there is one resolution or commitment that is worth making this new year. That commitment is to invest in yourself. Not only do we live in a society that demonizes “selfishness” but we are also on the heels of the holidays, which although joyful, can also be draining, as giving is a major focus of the season.
As we begin 2022 we’ve weathered a two year storm of Covid-19 and as of now, there is no quick end in sight. The Pandemic has stretched many people thin between working from home, home schooling, heightened worry and anxiety and for many people, physical symptoms of covid-19 that have exhausted them both mentally and physically.
Although the go-to reaction to all of these stressors may be to bare down and continue full speed ahead, we believe that when you invest in your own self-care, mental health and betterment, you can’t go wrong. By introducing small and consistent changes into your routine such as mindfulness/meditation, practicing gratitude, mental health tracking or setting up recurring therapy sessions, you will learn long term coping strategies to help you through 2022 and well into the future.
As you begin to imagine your year ahead, we recommend reframing your new year’s resolution from a goal that needs to be met in order to be a success and instead commit to the journey itself. Maybe your goal in years past was to quit smoking. You didn’t achieve that, but you did discover alternative stress relievers which have caused you to cut back. That’s amazing! Maybe you “failed” at meditating everyday, but you’ve been going on a weekly walk through the whole pandemic. Congrats, you found your own form of mindfulness!
By investing in yourself, embracing self kindness and reframing your new year’s resolution narrative to focus on the journey not the destination, you can never “fail”.
Need some extra support reframing your outlook? We can help with that!
The Reflection Centre would like to wish everyone Health and Happiness Into 2022 and beyond. We look forward to working with all of you throughout this new year!
