Ahhh, the blank slate of a new year. A time for looking back with appreciation, looking forward with intention, and perhaps, making New Year’s resolutions.

Resolutions get a bad rap. We’ve all seen the dire statistics of those who don’t keep resolutions past the end of January. But many do keep them and can experience life-changing outcomes as a result.

For the last four years, I’ve shared my resolution experiments in my January 1st blog posts. In 2019, it was about choosing a theme for the year (A Clean Slate). In 2020, the focus was bringing more lovingkindness into the new year (Metta for a New Decade). Twenty twenty-one was about surrendering and allowing the year to unfold (Holding the Empty Space). And last year, I wrote about finding key experiences to support the growth envisioned by the end of the year. (A New Year’s Invitation).

Writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson is credited with saying, “The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be.” It’s in that spirit that I want to work with New Year’s intentions – as a helpful tool to guide me off my well-worn path onto one that’s more compelling, one that’s truly my own. If there’s an overall theme for me for 2023, it’s “Create Your Own Path.”

I’ve been working on Athena Wellness full-time since leaving my corporate career three years ago – writing a blog, publishing a book, launching a podcast and creating an online class. It feels like I’ve read every book, attended every webinar and taken every class about wellness and entrepreneurship. And I’ve done all the things recommended by those who have been successful in their respective fields.

As a coach myself, I know there is a time and place for this type of guidance. We can learn from other people’s experiences, avoid known pitfalls, and benefit from accountability. This is particularly useful when we’re starting out. But at the moment, I feel like I’ve maxed out on other people’s advice and it’s time to integrate all I’ve learned. Part of this integration means sifting through all of the external knowledge and checking-in with my inner wisdom to see if it feels right – less head, more heart.

I’ve written extensively over the last few months about how I’m gravitating from a Type A approach and toward more of Type Be one. As I define it, Type Be is about presence, being in the moment, relying on inner guidance and connecting with a feeling of aliveness. This heart-based approach is about living from a place of positivity and inspiration.

So the question I’ve been holding is: How can I enliven some of the things I want to accomplish this year? And like many things in wellness, the answer is not adding new things, but taking away the things that are detracting from feeling the way that I want to feel. Things that include:

Outdated stuff – paperwork that needs shredding, business suits no longer worn.
Old beliefs – such as working hard is the only way to be successful.
Conflicting habits – coping behaviors that are counter to my well-being.

And the good news is this doesn’t take a lot of time. I sorted and shredded a bunch of old files while watching football games a few days ago. And I’ll get my 2023 files and calendar set while watching the games today. In the coming days as I plan for the first quarter, I’ll be mindful of the old beliefs and make a few habit adjustments to support my wellness intentions.

By making these few modifications, I’m entering the new year feeling light and energetic. Perhaps Emerson knew that the quickest way to become the person you decide to be is in letting go of who you once were.

The miracle of letting go is in the ownership. When we truly let go, we:

Acknowledge the experience without blame;
Feel the impact of the role we played;
Note what was learned;
Forgive others and show ourselves self-compassion; and
Release the experience.

And we don’t have to wait for a special time. We can try letting go, or any other wellness practice, anytime, not just on New Year’s Day.

I’ll leave it to Ralph Waldo Emerson once again to sum it up. He said, “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.”

I’m wishing you and your loved ones a year of happiness, prosperity and wellness. Happy 2023!

Journal Reflections: What elements or experiences of 2022 would you like to leave behind? What would you like to make room for in 2023? How might you welcome the New Year feeling light and energized?

Some Thoughts on New Year's Resolutions