Never Stop Working On Yourself

        As the new year rolled in and I watched people making their resolutions, I started looking at why people choose the new year. "New year, new me" is something that gets thrown around quite a bit. I also used to partake in new year resolutions. However, as I got older I realized I work better with the flow of the seasons more so than our modern calendar. January is still mid-winter where we are supposed to be cocooning and reflecting. I find it much easier to stay on top of my new personal challenges when life has returned back to the world.

           Though, it all brought on another thought, why do we wait for the perfect time? Why do we need a specific setting to enact change in our lives? I can only speak personally, but of course I encourage your input as well. To me, humans need a reason, a fresh palette to work with. "Tomorrow I'll get up early and do this and that." or "I'll start my diet next Sunday." It either comes from a place of unreadiness or a place of feeling less cluttered mentally when the time comes. If we set the goals away from the here and now, it makes it feel like a fresh start, when, in reality, it is not actually any different than this very moment.

           I find that when I set goals I also have to put them far from this minute because I need time to prepare myself for the impact the change is going to have on me and my life. Sometimes, I find this is more anxiety inducing as I anticipate the new responsibilities I'm about to take on for myself. I'm not sure about you, but sometimes too much time makes me anticipate every little aspect of it. Could be the anxiety I battle with every day, but also I'm a planner. I like to have some sort of direction, and for me to feel comfortable I have to think of every little thing that can go wrong before I get to acknowledge that it can even go right!

            All this is to say, every second of any day is always open for you to change. This is a reminder to myself as well. We are all humans trying to figure out this world and navigate through the muck just as much as the next human. Maybe today take that step toward the change you want. Put down the cookie and pick up a carrot stick. Lay the phone upside down and put your arms out for your loved one instead. Stand up and stretch and breathe and make this second the moment you pick up that change you were anticipating for next week. 

          If you've made it to the end here, please leave a comment of something you would like to work on for yourself. It doesn't have to be greatly personal, but something you want to put out into the universe to start shifting for yourself. I'll even go first so you don't feel alone in this journey. 

            This year I'm going to work on being more of an advocate for myself. I have a hard time believing in my own capabilities and my voice. I have a fear of being wrong (and loud about it) or looking bad to others. This fear has held me back from many great things. Also making sure my voice IS heard when I need it to be. This past year I have been dealing with a lot of personal things that needed my voice to be louder. I have been on a journey of healing my inner teenager. Her voice used to be so loud, and sometimes too quiet when it needed to be loud. I'm going to honor her and speak up for us this year and put ourselves out there more. Criticism is a part of life and I am working on accepting that.

          As the title says, let us never stop working on ourselves to become who we want to be. At any moment of any day. Every second is a new chance to better yourself and situation. I hope this post helps you find the confidence to make one small change for the better today.