Why I did NOT set "New Year's resolutions" for 2024 and what I did to get ready for my BEST year yet.

In years gone by, at the dawn of a new year I would do the typical thing of setting my New Year's resolutions. However, for the last couple of years I have chosen not to do this anymore, and I thought I would share with you why I've done this.

Something that I really value is understanding myself, how I work and motivates me. I truly believe that if you are to live your best life, it's important to understand how you are wired and what makes you tick.

For me personally, I am someone who can be quite motivated by goals and "New Year's resolutions", but on the flip side, I can also fall into a bit of a toxic spiral where it's becomes unhealthy for me and it ends up being counterproductive for me. 

Each year I would feel the pull to do what a lot of people do as the year draws to a close - set new year's resolution for the new year. Except what I have found is that this practice of setting new year's resolutions almost acts as an opportunity for me to think about all the things that I have failed at and not achieved that I set out to, rather than the things that I have done well and the ways that I have grown and lessons I have learnt in the past year.

So this year, (actually much like last year, in fact) I wrote a list of "Hell yes"'s and "Hell No"'s for what I want for 2024 and then from this I created a list of aligned intentions to guide me through 2024. This way, rather than mere goals and check boxes that I set for myself for the new year, I have given myself some parameters and guidelines to live my life within to hopefully promote a more healthy mindset for the new year.

For me, it's not about setting goals that I have to tick off and achieve (although sometimes this can be nice). It's about giving myself guidance and learning lessons from the past to cultivate a more healthy mindset and sustainable lifestyle that aligns with my values and the life that I want to live as the best version of myself both for my own benefit and the benefit of others around me.

So, I thought I would share with you the intentions I have set for 2024.

To get really clear on these and really get into the detail about what I want for the new year, I took myself on a Solo Soul Day (thanks Bec Stewart for that little term), and really connected with myself and got clear on what I wanted for 2024 for myself personally, my relationship, my career, my business, my finances, my social life, etc. (pretty much all the various areas and aspects of my life).

But first, my HELL YES's and HELL NO's for 2024:

HELL YES's:

• Spending less money than I earn & prioritising savings
• Routines and rituals designed to fill up my cup
• Spending quality time with family and friends
• Cooking, baking and consuming delicious food
• Taking ownership of my healthy preparing and eating nutritious food
• Reading books for pleasure and enjoyment
• Making decisions which align with me and my values 
• Journaling and self-reflection to enable growth and to attract in my desires
• Living in alignment and in my purpose in every moment possible
• Regular audits of my life and how I am tracking towards my goals and whether I am living in alignment with my intentions

HELL NO's:

• Judging others
• Suppressing my emotions and needs
• People pleasing
• STUDYING! (This one makes me laugh because the last time I said this was just after I finished my Physio Masters, but then I subsequently went onto undertake (and complete) a Juris Doctor (post-graduate law)).
• Watering myself down to make others comfortable
• Allowing myself to be lazy and making excuses for not doing what I set out to
• Blaming others and allowing myself to fall into a victim mindset
• Playing small to avoid stepping out of my comfort zone

So rather than coming up with a list of "New Year's Resolutions" - instead I chose to write myself a list of intentions that I have decided to call my "10 Commandments" to guide me throughout 2024. 

My "10 Commandments" for 2024 (A.K.A: My 2024 intentions):

1. I will cook/bake more than I eat out/get takeaway;
2. I will earn & save more than I spend;
3. I will listen more than I speak;
4. I will relax more than I stress;
5. I will laugh more than I cry;
6. I will reflect more than I judge;
7. I will accept more than I reject;
8. I will embody more than I project;
9. I will thank & express gratitude more than I ask for; and
10. I will be curious more than I compare.

I created this list of intentions to serve as guiding principles and mindset shifts to help me step into my next level self and live in alignment with the life I desire and want to create.

I have written these Commandments down in my new journal, and am also going to design something which I can print out and stick up in my office so that I can look at it every day and remind myself of these things.

I found this activity super powerful for me to work out what I want for myself and for my life in 2024 and in identifying what I think got in the way of me achieving that this year, I have been able to heighten my awareness of those things in my life and how they can play out

So, I encourage you to consider the year that you want to have in 2024. Do you want a year of much of the same things you've wanted in the past, or is 2024 the year that you make some changes and really go after the life that you truly desire for yourself?

I'd love for you to share with me what you are leaving behind in 2023 and what you are bring forward and introducing for yourself in 2024?

Let me know in the comments section below if you are comfortable with doing so. I am here to be your biggest cheerleader and accountability buddy in 2024.

I am so excited for all the BIG things coming for me in 2024 and I am even more exciting for the BIG life that YOU have planned for 2024!

Love always,

xx