Throw a party… for YOURSELF!

And just like that 365 days (or 31,536,000 seconds) of Year 2018 flew by! What a roller coaster ride it had been hasn’t it? Because as life has a tendency to do, it was a year filled with highs and lows. Between work and our personal life, we’ve all had our fair share of events that have shaped 2018 into what it was. If you have yet to – then what better time than now, for us to throw ourselves a little party and celebrate what we’ve made happen this past year to get to where we are now!

Look back to look forward

Very often, when we take a step back, we may uncover a thing or two that we forgot about. Like that resolution that we were so hyped up about at the start of 2018 but now, sits on the back shelf along with that outfit we swore we’d be able to squeeze into before the year was over.

Just a quick check around the office revealed that many of us have unfortunately forgotten about those resolutions simply because life took over. Those resolutions just seemed to be too much additional effort when placed next to an ever-growing to-do list and other so-called important stuff that is constantly jostling for our attention. Which meant that suddenly, a 30-minute daily workout seems a little less important when all we really want is some much-needed sleep.

So, we thought to ourselves, maybe… just maybe.. in 2019, we should consider quitting before we even start???

WAIT! We heard that audible gasp! So, before you clutch your pearls in horror at the audacity of that statement, hear us out.

Milestones, mistakes & more

Ok… More specifically, we meant, quit those big resolutions.

But before we get to that, it’s important to realise that very often, what seems like a lack of progress is often part of the process of growth. Provided, we reflect on it with positivity, maturity and wisdom to consider all the possibilities to fix this supposed lack of progress.

First up, try taking 30-minute off today to dive into journaling and figure how has 2018 panned out for you. Consider doing it structurally through a month-by-month review or by life-areas (personal, family, work, relationship, physical, spiritual and financial life).

Also, think about what were some of your greatest accomplishments? What made you laugh the hardest? What new habits have you adopted? Were they good or bad? What didn’t work out for you? Why? What was an unforgettable moment you shared with someone? And most importantly, what are you thankful for?

Think small

Once you’ve journaled about what you made of 2018, consider the things that are of utmost importance to you. In the past, these may then translate into that annual resolution list. But the problem with these lists is that they often seem like insurmountable tasks. So, try doing it a little different this time around. Start by doing away with those big, ambitious, lofty goals and instead, think small. Like really small!

Let’s take weight loss for example, It’s one of the most common resolutions that people make but often falters on before January is over. So, instead of putting a big number and trying your darndest to make it happen, start with something simple and easy to achieve. For starters, maybe swap out that iced tea at lunch with a glass of iced water instead. Or that daily afternoon cup of latte that you simply can’t do without… try alternating it so that you only have it 3 times a week.

Those don’t seem too tough right? Or if they are, think of something even simpler which you know you’ll be able to keep to.

Short term goals done long-term

Or perhaps, in your review, you realised the need to be more productive in 2019. Instead of creating a laundry list of all the things you want to achieve, start by waking up just 30 minutes earlier every day. That’s an extra 3.5 hours that you’ve created for yourself in a week. In doing so, you might find yourself being able to beat the traffic or the packed morning train and arrive at work a little less frazzled and with more time to get your important stuff out of the way before the daily grind sets in.

And if 30 minutes is too much, try 15. That’s still a good headstart over your 2018 self.

The whole point of it is to set for yourself a bunch of small, easy to achieve wins that’ll spur you on to do better and do more.

It may not seem like much but the fact that these micro-goals are just that little bit easier to achieve means you’re more likely to stick to it. And once you do, add on something else that’s equally micro to that new habit you’ve just formed. Slowly but surely, these small pieces will end up creating that big picture.

And if along the way, you found that you fell off the wagon, don’t beat yourself up about it. Give yourself permission for a redo by making the next day your own personal January 1st and start again! Because maybe that small task wasn’t so small to begin with and you’ll need to go even smaller!

Soon, you’ll find yourself being able to keep up the pace and you can easily take on something a little bigger. Gone will be those days of yore when you’d find yourself struggling to keep a promise you made to yourself which in actual fact wasn’t that easy to keep in the first place.

So, make sure to keep it light and easy for yourself in 2019! Because when you start realising that you’re on a winning streak, those big, bold dreams are really just a glass of iced water away.

And we’ll leave you with a little quote by Maya Angelou that we love and live by,

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”

Here’s to a fabulous start to 2019 from all of us at HRnetGroup!