Well, it’s that time again. New Year’s resolutions.

The bright lights, the inspiration of a new year…the new year, new me phase is going strong across the US now that we’re in the second week of January.

A Little Secret

If you’re trying to think of a New Year’s resolution I have a few tips to help. But first, I want you to know that it’s alright if you skip the resolution this year. If you’re too tired or if you just don’t feel like it, that’s fine.

You do not have to do anything at all.

It is also okay for your resolution to be small and simple. For example, my New Year’s resolution is to acknowledge and be okay with my feelings. I want to be more aware of how I’m feeling, acknowledge to myself that I’m tired, or stressed, or need a break and I want to be okay with that. Often times we all get so caught up in the busy world that we live in that we forget to pay attention to our own feelings.

If You Go For It

If you’re deciding on a resolution for this year, I’d recommend that you start small. Maybe organize your resolution in small increments so that you’re quickly able to feel accomplished. Also try to keep your resolution achievable and make sure that it is something that YOU think would make you feel better in some way.

For example, I helped a friend of mine create her New Year’s resolution recently. She’s a full time caregiver and she wanted to do a little better about making time for herself each day. I recommended that she start small with creating a five minute break for herself each day for one week. At the end of that week, I suggested that she reflect on the experience and then determine how she wanted to proceed with the next week. Maybe she could increase to 10 minutes per day or add in a crossword puzzle during the break or keep progressing with 5 minute breaks. Just keep it small so you can enjoy success quickly!

In Summary

Maybe you haven’t decided on a resolution yet for this year. Maybe you have and you’re still going strong. Maybe your resolve is wavering a bit. Maybe you’re skipping resolutions this year. Whatever it is, however you’re feeling; I support you. I applaud you. I’m proud of you and you should be proud of yourself too.