This is the time of year when we all “resolve” to better ourselves, meet certain goals, get rid of old habits, and be the best self we can be. And we want to see you achieve (and stick to) any resolutions you make! So, we wanted to share some thoughts we ourselves had as we made OUR resolutions that we think might help you, dear members of our Tribe, do exactly that!

Rather than tell you which changes you SHOULD make, we wanted to inspire you to think about which changes are right for you, and how you can make this year the year you step up and do YOU!

Ask Yourself “Why?”

Each year, we make resolutions, and then spend days (or maybe weeks) analyzing HOW we’re going to accomplish them. We stress ourselves out trying to come up with game plans, and eventually end up giving up on the goals we thought were so important to us.

Instead of worrying about the “how,” try focusing more on the “why.” Ask yourself why you chose the resolutions and goals you chose and meditate for a while on the answer. For example, why do you want to lose weight or quit smoking? Is it because you’re comparing yourself to someone you know, or your favorite celebrity? Or, is it for your OWN health and physical wellbeing? Trying to please, reassure, or keep up with the Jones’ will only set you up for certain failure and lead to you disappointing yourself by giving up on your goals in a few weeks. So, if the answer (and be completely honest with yourself!) is ANYTHING but “I’m doing this ALL for me,” do NOT do it!

Makeovers DO Equal Self-Care!

Sometimes, a simple makeover would go a LONG way toward lifting our spirits and renewing our inspiration to meet our goals. However, we often allow ourselves to believe that new outfits, new piercings or jewelry, different types/colors of makeup, or new hairstyles are selfish and unnecessary. Nothing could be further from the truth! And no, we’re not just saying that because we’re in the piercings business!

When you feel good about yourself, you feel better about life, and your outlook on many things tends to improve. Thus, you feel much more motivated to continue toward your goals (and much less likely to give up all the important resolutions you made)!

Avoid Too Much Bad News

There ARE important bad events occurring in the world today, and there is nothing wrong with keeping track of the news. To a certain extent. However, reading every article or watching every video you can find about the negative things in life will only serve to keep your mood low and strip you of your desire to do for you.

Instead, offer love and kind words to those directly affected by terrible tragedies, oppressive circumstances, major crises, etc. Spread the word about these awful events, so that others may do the same. Even give donations (in situations where those apply) if you’re able. But don’t dwell on these things, especially if there’s nothing else you can do besides the things we just mentioned. And, for goodness sake, do NOT go SEEKING all the bad news in the world! It does NOT mean that you don’t care! It only means that you care about yourself, too, and that you know you’re not doing ANYONE (especially yourself) any good if you become so burdened by all the negativity that you can’t think of anything else!

DON’T Try Brand-New Hobbies

Many of us feel a need to try new things in the new year. And, for some people, that might be an awesome idea! For the rest of us, though, researching new hobbies, trying to find time to learn how these things (and the time to actually do them once we DO learn), and our growing frustration if we don’t take to it fast enough or have the time to invest in it that we thought we would be is very discouraging. And discouragement is one of the quickest ways to kill our inspiration.

Think back on things you used to love to do, even as a kid or teenager. Do any of those activities still sound appealing? Are any of them practical now? Have you been really wanting to get back into (insert your hobby/activity here), but you kept coming up with reasons or excuses not to? Give it another thought. If it’s still a mentally (and physically) viable activity, and you once (or always) loved it, go for it! Revisiting old hobbies can take you back through some pleasant memories, and maybe even help you feel younger and livelier!

Love Others but Do for YOU!

We repeat this for a reason. There is nothing wrong with doing for those we care about, being there when loved ones TRULY need us (such as in times of dire crisis or emergencies) or showing kindness to total strangers. In fact, we strongly encourage it! All we ask is that you don’t forget about yourself in the process!

If you catch yourself frequently cancelling hair appointments, changing self-care plans, choosing to not MAKE plans because someone said they might need or want you to take part in THEIR activities, or abandoning any of your goals to help others with theirs, STOP! Remember, “no” will ALWAYS be a complete sentence! Part of caring for yourself is letting go of the notion that you have to explain yourself to others. If you’re already busy, and you’ve already rescheduled your massage or dance class two or three times, say no! Offer to help them or make plans with them on the next day you’re available, but do not change your mind, no matter their response! We know they matter to you, but don’t forget that you matter, too!

Thoughts on Resolutions

Do you have any resolutions you want to share, or thoughts on more ways to stay inspired to reach the goals you’ve set for yourself for 2019? Talk to us! Leave a comment and share your thoughts, or give us a shout-out! Oh, and Happy New Year, Tribe!