A year that started with surprises and not all of them, how we wanted them. Many of us are in a situation where the outside information about the world we live in is overwhelming and seems to be taking all the energy needed to plan and enact the changes we wanted for our lives. Below are 6 tips to start our new year off the right way.
Tip 1: Don’t give too much power to the daily vaccine news.
Waiting patiently through lockdowns, travel restrictions, and disastrous economic news has made us very excited regarding upcoming vaccinations. No wonder media reports about delays in vaccinations are unsettling. Be careful with the consumption of media, always being aware that it is the bad news that sells. It is healthier to accept that the media have not anticipated everything right so far, and they won’t in this case either. Follow the situation, but for your own sake, watch your media diet.
Tip 2: Don’t give too much power to the daily news about political developments.
The same is true for your diet regarding media about the incredible developments in the political situation. Of course, keep yourself informed not to be surprised by developments, which can affect your life. There is, however, too much of a good thing, and it is important to choose the right dosage, which will keep you informed and sharp without causing you to lose your sleep over things that you can’t influence anyway.
Tip 3: Look up my previous Newsletters’ tips regarding the pandemic.
Many of them are just as valid in these farther progressed COVID times.
Tip 4: It’s a New Year; make plans for it!
With all of the unbelievable things I talked about above, let’s not forget that this is a new year. We may have even waited for this one a little more anxious than for previous ones. So, let’s utilize the energy and enthusiasm that comes at the beginning of a new year and do what you would do in a “normal” year, draft up where we want to get with our plans and how we arrive there.
Tip 5: Mindfully watching the intention under what you do.
Setting goals and working hard towards achieving them, hoping to get something positive back like validation, praise, or affirmation of our efforts. Mindfully notice if your real intent is to gain something positive or to avoid something negative. Noticing how our tasks affect us helps reveal our real purpose of any task. Maybe we start with positive intentions, but we find ourselves complaining about what we are doing after a long time or difficulty. Perhaps we never wanted to do the actual task but rather wanted outside validation of some sort. Noticing our true intention underneath what we do helps maintain integrity in all that we do. By noticing how your tasks affect you, you will find it easier to align your true intention with what excites and animates you.
Tip 6: Remember giving and receiving is at the center of all interactions.
The nature of most of our interactions and relationships is to both give and receive. Remembering this helps the value of what we do have a more significant impact. Although we may get a charge of real joy from doing something to make another person’s life a little bit easier, we also must rely on others to live. Remembering this helps add value to receiving in all our relationships. Reflect on the various people who had helped you when you needed it most, and imagine all you are doing now is an extension of what has been done for you. We are all connected.
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