Welcome to the New Year!

You may be wondering why I have posted this in February? Is it because I am a month late, leisurely hanging out with my family or enjoying the Australian Open Tennis? No. I post this deliberately on 1st February as this is when my year really starts. Why?

Because I have learnt that New Years Resolutions are things that I need to learn – and who can be bothered learning when the sun is out and everyone is enjoying the heights of social time with friends and loved ones?

I have also learnt that I am on holidays so the last thing I want to do is work hard and follow through with all the new, challenging stuff that is inevitable when you are changing habits. Doing it on 1st January is like swimming against the tide and expecting to cover great distances.

Those who know me well, know that I despise NY resolutions as they are nothing more than inflated wishes (with a real hard thud when they come crashing down). Real change takes time, patience, planning, effort, continual growth (which means yes, failure and tough days) and ongoing refocusing to maintain motivation. NY resolutions have a pop culture “just flick the switch/make a change” mentality – drives me bananas! 101 in psychology - Life doesn’t work like that.

What I do use January for in the midst of summer is to explore what I would like to get better at in 2019. What I would like to put my time and energy into and from  here I develop a plan to fit these into ordinary life. I have been working on this for a few years now, a life resolution if you like. I have learnt what works for me, and what doesn’t and it is different for each individual. Take the time to learn what works for you this year and get better at cultivating the life that works for you.

So February is a time for me to have another go and to understand myself better. To set some plans and be open to adjusting these as life takes its inevitable twists and turns.

Mindfulness helps me stay grounded in values and what is important. It is a map to help me anchor in the things that feed my soul, especially when the storms of life start blowing in. Like me, I encourage you to have a growth mindset and be open to seeing those tough days as a time to learn and reset with new insights and valuable information to GROW better as each year passes.

I wish you all a wonderful 2019 and hope that the year is full of tremendous growth and exploration of your unique qualities, strengths and interests. I look forward to seeing you either in session, at one of our workshops held monthly or at one of our community events.

Warm regards,

Jodie xx