Dream, Believe, Achieve

Today is the first day back at work for me after two weeks of festive fun, beige food and bucketloads of booze and I am positively bursting with motivation, inspiration and feel good vibes for the endless possibilities that the year ahead offers.

I’m sure many of you have made New Years Resolutions already…

Maybe you’ve signed up to an annual membership at your local gym?
Or given yourself a heart attack by daring to step on the scales after all that Christmas feasting and vowing to only let organic fruit and vegetables pass your lips from now on?
Or maybe you’re locking up your alcohol stash and taking part in Dryanuary?

Sound familiar?

Last January, and in fact every January before that, that’s pretty much what I did too; vowing to lose weight, get fit and stop biting my nails, which are the same resolutions I make every year and are also, unsurprisingly, the same resolutions I break every year. However, this year I feel completely differently about all this resolutions malarkey and the only resolution I’ll be making is not to make any!

Looking around on social media, it seems this positive attitude towards self belief, the feeling that anything and everything is possible and well, just generally cutting ourselves some slack, is everywhere and how fantastic is that?!

I know I’m not the fittest person out there; but I’m also not the unfittest and I regularly exercise because I love the way it makes me feel. I know I’m not the thinnest person out there; but I like my curves and I want to eat cake, because cake tastes good! I know I don’t have particularly nice nails; but so blimmin’ what, I have hands that like to create, that like to bake and when I do bother to paint them I only go and chip them within seconds anyway! I also know I procrastinate way too much…hmmm OK so maybe that is something I could work on a bit…but maybe another day 😉

My point is that I’m not perfect, but I’m also no longer striving to be. For the first time in my life I can honestly say that I am content with what I’ve got. Yes, I still have hopes and dreams, it would be crazy not to, but I’m doing it for me and all my unique and lovely imperfections.

So, here are my alternatives to New Years Resolutions, some ideas that will hopefully inspire you to dream big, believe in yourself and achieve great, great things.

Happiness Jar

This is something I’ve been meaning to do for a while and have just never got around to starting (yeah it’s that whole procrastination thing again!), but having been motivated and inspired by friends posting their own happiness jars across their social media accounts, I am making my own today.

It’s simple – get a jar, stick a lovely label on the front saying something along the lines of ‘2017 Happy Jar’, decorate it (if you’re that way inclined) and every time something makes you happy, jot it down on a piece of paper, fold it up and then pop it in the happiness jar. At the end of the year your jar should be filled with lovely notes that you can tip out and read, reminding yourself of all the positive moments in your life that year.

Ideas of what to write could include:

A compliment someone has paid you.
An amazing day spent somewhere special with special people.
An achievement.
Something funny, kind, inspiring etc. that someone has said to you or that you have read somewhere.
Something new you have tried.

If it puts a smile on your face it has earnt it’s place in the jar. And not only is it a fantastic way of keeping track of what you’ve been up to, but it’s also going to ramp up those feel good vibes when you realise just how wonderful and special your life is, creating gratitude, self fulfilment, wellness and perhaps just a teeny smidgen of smugness.

Vision Workshop

I am so excited about this Friday, because I am going on my first ever Vision Workshop and it involves cutting and pasting things out of magazines…and I LOVE cutting and pasting things out of magazines!!! Hosted by my friend Sarah Turner from the coaching organisation Bloom People, the aim of the workshop is to create a visual representation (kind of like a Pinterest board) of all the things that you want to be, to do and to have in your life. By setting these goals it helps direct and motivate you, whether it be consciously or subconsciously, into making them a reality. It’s got me thinking about what it is I actually want this year and I’ve realised it’s harder than I first thought, because I’m a contented little so and so at the mo. I don’t want a big house (I love where I live), I love my job, I am healthy, my family are healthy, I don’t feel as though I need, or want, to win the lottery, I am just genuinely content…so what can I put on my vision board? Sarah has emailed out a few questions and thoughts to think about before Friday, so my task tomorrow is to delve into the depths of my mind and find any niggles and desires that I’d like to sort out. I’ll be writing about it afterwards so keep your eyes peeled on my blog to see how I got on.

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff

I am one of life’s worriers; I worry if I haven’t got something to worry about. I am also good at having a moan; I literally LOVE a moan. Yet, although these two traits are seemingly quite negative, I like to think that it’s part of what makes up my personality and I have learnt to laugh at myself. It’s harmless, it’s a way of me venting and hopefully my husband has got used to it by now! One big lesson I have learnt during 2016, and it’s one I think we could all benefit from learning, is to not sweat the small stuff. OK so the supermarket has run out of organic goji berries and the recipe distinctly says they must be organic…so what? Bung in some raisins and get over it. Oh no, you’ve just fallen over and ripped your best jeans…so what? Have you seen the kids today, they are all about the rips. You are bang on trend so style it out! Eek, your child has just pointed out that the lady with the beard behind the till is perhaps a bit on the large side (OK so she totally just asked ‘why is that ladyman so fat?)…so what? Smile, make a quick exit and be grateful that you have such an observant and honest child.

OK, so I made all of these up, but the point I’m making is that there are seriously way huger things in life to stress about than most of the daily trivialities that we allow ourselves to get hung up on. So unless you love a moan and/or a worry, I suggest you take a deep breath, get over yourself and crack on with life.

Positive Affirmations

If like me, you have a child that lacks in self confidence or is a bit of a worrier (hmmm can’t think where they got that from…) then I want to share with you some positive affirmation cards from Yesmum that are absolutely amazing at telling your child, and in fact anyone who needs a morale boost and pat on the back, just how great they are.

I bought both of my children a set of the ‘Mini‘ cards for Christmas, as well as a ‘Pops‘ pack for my husband from the kids to help remind him why he is such a good dad (‘cos it’s totally impossible to remember you’re a good dad when you’re screaming at your kids for firing a nerf gun at your willy!) and now I’m feeling quite left out because I’d really like a pack too.

Each card has a positive statement such as ‘I do not need to compare myself to other people’ or ‘I can do anything I put my mind to’ and I have encouraged my children to leave the pack by the side of their bed and to dip into it whenever they feel a negative emotion, for example if they’re angry, upset, sad, scared etc. Already I can see the benefits, as the simple act of taking time out to choose and read a card by themselves or to share with myself or my husband has taught them to become more mindful of their feelings and I seriously cannot recommend them highly enough.

2017 is going to be different and I’m urging you to resolve not to change yourself, because you are seriously good enough, but instead I want you to love your imperfections, your uniqueness and to aim high, but ultimately I want you to…