Better NOW than never! Resolution talk
We’re almost halfway through January 2025.
2025____ WOW, we have lived one quarter of this century. That was fast and also slow. Most of us could not have predicated this first quarter century.
Well HAPPY NEW YEAR! I took a break from writing publicly to write more personally, and a book collaboration is coming out in a few weeks. I wrote my final part in July and celebrated with my last blog. Then life happened, and I re-wrote it a few weeks ago even better. Stay tuned for how it all wrapped up nicely.
Now it’s time to talk about quitting. January 10 was officially National Quitter’s Day when a very high percentage of people ditched their new year’s resolutions for good. You may be the type of person who says I don’t make resolutions because I am going to be the same fabulous me and I have it all together; or you maybe someone with a salty personality and says I love everything about myself even though others might think I need to change. There is no wrong way to do a new year. I applaud both personalities I mentioned, you know yourselves, and you love yourself. I also applaud everyone else in between. You are trying to find and maintain your happy.
If you had a resolution and gave up, I don’t think you are a quitter. I celebrate you for knowing you had to re-set your life after the excessive past 4 months. September is the month that starts the excess snowball with the “nesty” decor, then holiday decor, sugary foods, parties, etc. The days are shorter, and everything is a perfect storm for the gluttony (food, clutter, finance, etc.) monster to keeps growing until December 31st. We have seen the excess all grow more and more excessive each year. Many have FOMO and do it all. The result is a bit like a coma.
I see the resolution phase for most of us as an opportunity to break out of that coma and do a mini reset. Some of us will keep going and achieve major lifelong changes. The rest of us have achieved that mental reset from excess and can resume normal life.
Last year I did not start working on something I wanted to address until mid-February. Years of drawing and creating on my computer wreaked havoc with my body. I had severe neck and shoulder pain plus my eyes were red from the screen time even with blue light blockers. I had been researching acupuncture for a while; and I met Dr. Tricia Beretz of Glacier Blue Acupuncture in Melbourne, FL at the Brevard Zoo’s Manatee 3K. I went for treatment, and she fixed what no one else could.
My friends Olivia Womack (renowned photographer) and Rebecca Black (entrepreneur extraordinaire) launched Soulful Sip, a women’s empowerment four-part series in 2024 in Brevard County, FL. It started in March, not January. Additionally, the four dates were not evenly scheduled on the calendar. The sessions were in March, May, August and November. Olivia and Rebecca knew the benefits of fluid scheduling and letting it happen organically. Personally, I loved the series, and the March start date was perfect. January is a busy month for me so I was able to connect with the content more in March than I would have been able to in January.
I could go on with examples. The point is NOW is better than never. Don’t wait for a new week, a new day, new month, new year or any other signal to start. If you are thinking about something, start today! Waiting for the starting points I mentioned is like allowing a construction crew to put up roadblocks to your success. I think of delayed starting points like the sticky floors author Erica Rooney mentions in her book Sticky Floors and Glass Ceilings. They are opportunities to back out. If you want change, you have to start NOW.
In the past month alone, there have been tragedies when everything changed for many. Those life events always happen. Start NOW doing what it is you want. It all leads to progress. Setbacks while you are actively working on change aren’t really setbacks at all. They are pauses to think about your next move. I have found the detours aren’t better than what was very detailed on my route. We give value aka “currency” to many things which are fear and doubt related that in turn becomes obstacles to achieving what we want.
Every step you take, is a step towards what you want. Rethink your relationship with receiving. Cathy Heller talks about that in her book. You have to be receptive to leveling up and change. Life is like unlocking levels in video games. you need to do all the steps to move up. Enjoy your day, and I hope you take this opportunity to rethink quitting and starting points.
xo, Tracy
ps If this is messy or has errors, I wanted to get the message out as I head out to and event. My devices excuse a lot in autocorrect. My work purposely uses made up words and more. It does not know what to do with me. LOL!
The Lovely Spotted Flamingo 