Three solid ways to prepare for an excellent 2020

Posted on Lifestyle And tagged motivation, lifestyle, 2020, New Year

It's easy to feel overwhelmed when a new year starts. But that's because we're not creating the appropriate space and time it takes to grow. Start from within by practicing these key ways to prepare for 2020.

New year, new me? Not always. No matter how often we set out to do it — year after year — and then forget about it two weeks later, we'll still come back to our resolutions every December.

We dream about the person we want to be, how we change our lives and become leaner, stronger, healthier, happier, and more. That makes us feel good before we've even done anything to achieve our goal. And if you (presumably) don't achieve your goals, you lose all hope. Let's take a slightly different approach with these three effective ways to prepare for an amazing 2020:

Reflect but don't linger

We all dive right into the new year, but often don't look back on the last 365 days. A lot changes in one year: Successes have been achieved, mistakes made, relationships come and go. But above all, lessons were learned. Taking time to be honest with yourself, to think about important events in 2019, can help you identify your mistakes and strengths so you can take the best action in 2020.

What was your most valuable moment in 2019? Who helped you grow? Who held you back? What has led to your success the most? What led to your failures? What will you look back on and be proud of in 2030?

Dream big but start small

When we decide to change for the better, we feel small glimmers of hope in our hearts. That means it's easy to set yourself huge tasks to complete. If every motivational speaker worth the money tells you to dream big, why start small? Isn't losing two kilos better than drinking two extra glasses of water every day? That is where the problem lies. Big intentions don't stick. One of the best ways to prepare for a great 2020 is to change the small, everyday decisions that lead to motivating results. Another sit-up at the gym, another vegetable on the plate, another class a week, an extra book a month... Once you've made all of this a habit, you're ready to take the next step. Plus, you have the energy and mental will to actually move on.

Practice positive intentions

We can't all be “shiny, happy people” and always be happy. And that's okay. But practicing positive intentions every day can really help change perspective, maintain new habits, and make it easier to achieve goals. To really see progress, it's not always enough just to go to the gym. Practicing intentions helps you make decisions based on what you want or need. You'll train with a clearer sense of purpose, or work toward a goal, with a strong idea of what that goal looks like. That means you'll feel realized when that goal is achieved. Close your eyes and imagine what the first three or four months will bring you — whether you want to run a marathon or learn the basics of a new language. Think about what it could mean for you. Personal independence? Better health? A happier life? Visualizing your intentions strengthens your mindset — which is often the reason why we don't live out our year the way we'd like in the first place.

Posted on Lifestyle And tagged motivation, lifestyle, 2020, new year.