2023 planning — Blog — Athena Wellness

If Not Now, When?

It's a new year and I have to say 2023 is feeling different already. And in a really good way. It feels purposeful and dynamic. There's a quality of aliveness to it, as well as a sense of promise and possibility. It feels like being at base camp just below the final ascent of a long journey.

This enthusiasm is tempered by reminders that time is passing. My father turned 101 a few days ago. While he has enjoyed robust health his entire life, we can see Father Time finally catching up with him on the final predetermined lap. And there have been a number of family and friends, some half his age, who are struggling with health issues or have recently passed.

While these situations can bring sadness, they also prompt action and inspire reflection…

Some Thoughts on New Year's Resolutions

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.

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 intentions – as a helpful tool to guide me off my well-worn path onto one more that’s more compelling, one that is truly my own. If there’s an overall theme for me for 2023, it’s “Create Your Own Path.”

Ebb Tides and Renewal

December is an interesting month filled with ebbs and flows. Many of us are in the middle of the holiday season filled with preparation. Perhaps we have plans to take some time off in the coming weeks. From a business perspective, many are wrapping up the quarter and the year.

It doesn’t feel like a time to start something new – which is where my Type A self thrives – in the flow. Instead, it’s more a Type Be ebb time, focused on completion, reflection and renewal.

Planning for 2023 the 'From Type A to Type Be' Way

I love the blank slate of a brand new year. It’s a creative time to imagine what might be in the months ahead.

My process has evolved over the years, as I’ve written about in The Athena Principles, gradually shifting from goal-oriented to intention-driven planning. And that evolution is ongoing as I shift From Type A to Type Be, learning to rely less on my logical intellect and more on my intuitive heart.

I’ve been playing with ideas on how this evolution might impact how I go about planning for the upcoming new year. What does heart-based planning look like?

BLOG