This post by Sophie Jaffe, founder of The Philosophie, was originally published on OurBodyBook.com.
It’s a new year: a new opportunity to start fresh, refocus, and achieve greatness!
The first things you’ll often hear from the “healthy resolutions” community is to set intentions, clarify goals, and declare from the mountaintops that you’re going to change your life. But consider the underlying message in such dramatic pronouncements: the idea that you need fixing, rather than simple ongoing support for the positive work you do every day.
Instead of thinking of a new year as something so life-altering and profound, let’s start to think of it as another opportunity to check in with ourselves and manifest our dream lives–one small, loving step at a time.
What did we accomplish last year? How did we feel defeated? What did we LEARN about ourselves? What do we want to take into the next chapter, and what do we want to leave behind?
2015 is all about you and your authentic self. The very best YOU can be.
Alternatives Treatment Center is sponsoring a month long no-drinking challenge — “Dryuary.” Although I don’t drink very often, I will be participating in order to cultivate a more centered state of mind. I’ll use it as a chance to be present in my body and to make conscious choices–things like not accepting a drink just because it’s offered, or not mindlessly consuming 700 cocktail calories just because all my friends are drinking and I figure I may as well too. These little challenges help me be more mindful in all areas of my life, to make tiny shifts into authenticity rather than going on autopilot.
I will also be partaking in my 14 day DIY cleanse program because, let’s be real, I over-indulged for the majority of December! Doing a cleanse is a great excuse to detox your body, mind, and soul. If you don’t want to commit to a cleanse program, you can easily create it at home by deciding on a length of time and cutting out certain food groups like gluten, soy, or processed foods. This in itself will make you feel considerable lighter and better, from the inside out. Choose your own level of intensity based on what feels right to you.
Here’s a little exercise to get started–start your pencils! There are no right or wrong answers, just be honest with yourself.
How did I bring joy to others in 2014?
What wasn’t working for me in 2014? What habit/relationship/feeling could I let go of in 2015?
My vision for 2015 looks like….(be as specific as you can be!)
How can I bring more of a “yes” mentality to my life?
What makes me happy/”light up”?
List 5 things you are grateful for in this moment.
How can I bring more playfulness and adventure into my life?
Take these questions and tuck them away into a drawer or your journal and set a reminder in 2 months to go back and look at this. Set another reminder for 6 months from now and another at 9. Then revisit the questions at the New Year next year. This is how we set intentions and actually manifest them–by gentle unfolding, not force.
This is your life. You are writing it as we speak, every single chapter. The more specific you get, the more clarity you’ll achieve about what is and isn’t working, and the better, fuller, and more authentic our lives will be. Here’s to a wonderful year.
Find more inspiration, recipes, and videos from Sophie Jaffe on her Blog, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube Channel. You can find her Philosophie products online at the Philosophie website.
