Why your self improvement strategy has to get personal this year. We weathered 2020 but now in 2021 it is time to thrive!
Skip Yet Another New Years Resolution!
If past years are any indication, a new years resolution is a great idea, but they’re famously unsuccessful! In fact, they are typically broken a majority of the time, and abandoned by mid-February!
This year, I am doing exactly what I did last year. I am skipping the new year resolution and moving on to strategy. After all, having been resistant to rules and authority my entire life, it seems out of character to make a new rule I’ll just break anyway. We wrote an entire post on picking a theme word for the year.
A Theme For Self Improvement
It is linked here for you if you want to dive in. Basically, all you have to do is think about an overall theme or theme word. Apply it throughout the year and see how it helped or hindered your year.
- Pick a Theme word Instead of a New Years Resolution
- Describe what you WANT
- Train yourself with Reminders
- Watch Your Theme Word Permeate Your Life
My theme word was progress in 2020. Now, considering how 2020 unfolded with all the extreme challenges, progress was difficult to say the least.
That’s okay, it gave me pause to celebrate the small things. This is why the theme word will once again be progress. The ability to just keep moving forward served me well when I truly wanted throw in the towel and simply just give up.
Developing An Enhanced Theme Word In 2021
While making progress has served me well, even during a pandemic, this year I found myself struggling once again with social anxiety. It is not enough to keep publishing blog posts, doing projects around the house or even developing a schedule that I can stick to.
While I fancied myself an introvert for years, it does seem that when faced with physically being cut off from friends and family, I don’t actually want to be left alone. When stripped of the most basic human interactions, it is strange to realize how much you truly value them.
Self Improvement Starts On A Note Of Personal Positivity
I will continue to make progress on a daily basis of course. But reaching out to the people that matter will get wrapped up into my progress theme this year.
It’s not enough to just catch up when the busy aspects of life slow, it has be a part of the ebb and flow of the week. After all, the holiday get togethers aren’t guaranteed and the unpredictable nature of this past year, has screamed … check in with those you love.
- I want to know what’s happening with family and friends, outside of social media.
- It’s not necessary to be up-to-date on the news morning, noon and night.
- Choosing to be happy shouldn’t be so hard. It should naturally infiltrate your thoughts.
- Prioritize what is actually important. Stop sweating the small stuff and just enjoy the moments as they unfold.
Pure joy is a gift of our childhood. The noise of adulthood steals that away from you. Feel free to jump puddles after the rain, especially as an adult.
Intention In Self Improvement
The idea of intention is great in helping to define what matters to you. I always ask myself a few questions when deciding on the flow for each and every day. Weekly, it is even more important in order to avoid just being busy versus being productive. Below are a handful of questions I apply regularly.
- What is your intention for the day, the week, the month, the year?
- Are your goals in line with your intentions?
- Do your routines and schedules support your intentions?
Action Is Integral For Self Improvement
The idea of intention is great in helping to define what matters to you. I’m a big fan of intention. I believe that if you identify what you want, actively pursue it & believe it, it will happen. Furthermore, you are grateful every time you recognize it showing up in your life. You can quite literally change your life with your thoughts. Let’s just jump in!
Which Tasks Will Actually Make A Difference In The Week?
Is vacuuming the living room necessary for example? Sometimes, I just cannot bring myself to perform repetitive tasks when I am inspired to be outside in my garden instead of completing an all day Monday cleaning session. The weather plays a big part in my decisions. If there is sunshine in the winter, go enjoy it!
Do My Activities Make Me Happy Or Inspire Me To Keep Going?
Shouldn’t the awesome activities you love make it on your lists? Really, they absolutely should, right?
Which Tasks Do You Dread?
Is there a particular chore that just makes you roll your eyes even just thinking about it? Find ways to streamline those tasks or share them with someone in your house that isn’t even bothered by doing them. Truly, I cannot think of what to cook for dinner without a level of annoyance. The kids and husband can come up with the ideas and I will happily cook, order out, clean up, whatever. Just not having to figure it out each and every day makes me super happy!
Consider The Big Picture Items That Never Seem To Get Done
Add just a small part of the big project to your lists for the week. I am always amazed how much progress is made just by adding bits and pieces of big projects to the list.
Lastly, Balance Your Self Improvement Intentions With Your Activities
Juxtapose what you are planning, doing or NOT doing, etc. versus your intentions. If, for example, your anxiety is an issue try to develop a week to limit the anxiety triggers.
Self Improvement Isn’t A Goal But Rather An Approach
There is any number of series on improving your lifestyle, your business, and your blog. A few are listed below but there are many more published on our blog. Feel free to search or skim titles for what interests you but please keep in mind there is no perfect solution.
I truly believe if self improvement is considered an approach rather than a goal, you can actually achieve so much more with far less effort and frustration. Research, consider the tips in our posts but personalize everything for your unique circumstances.
Below are a just a few of the affirmations I use regularly to inspire and motivate.
- Fall in love with the journey!
- Progress Not Perfection
- Embrace Each Moment, Big or Small
- The Only Constant Is Change
More Posts Related To Productivity
I certainly hope that some of these concepts, approaches, techniques, tips or hacks has helped in some way. While some are cencpetual, some are quite specific and applicable right away. We have additional resources that relate to productivity available. They are linked below.
