Compassionate Resolutions for the New Year
Photo by Danil Aksenov on Unsplash
It’s that time again, when we set our goals, plans, resolutions, intentions – whatever you want to call them – for the new year.
It’s not a bad thing to take advantage of the new year energy to get started – and remember that energy in motion tends to stay in motion. Getting started is often the hardest part.
We often focus on concrete goals: a draft by the end of June, 1000 words per day, 5 days a week, and so on. But those types of goals are just one part of it. Mindset goals may be even more important. Without a strong, growth-oriented mindset, it’s easy to let our intentions go and fall back into old patterns and habits.
It’s also hard to develop a writing practice when it feels like you’re constantly berating yourself like a drill sergeant, or beating yourself up for not living up to your own expectations.
This year, focus on being compassionate with yourself. Focus on positive reinforcement. Focus on the process, not the product or goal. You may want to write out some affirmations that will inspire you as you go this year. For example:
I take joy in my creativity.
I can accomplish any goal I set for myself.
I prioritize my writing despite the obstacles.
I am becoming a better writer every day.
I am inspiring people through my work.
I am not defined by my past failures or successes; I create my present and my future with the actions I take today.
I do not waste a day of my life. I focus on what brings my joy and gives me purpose.
I do not let negativity, doubts, and fears derail me.
I do not compare myself with others. I am on my own creative path.
I will do the best I can today, and be grateful for whatever I accomplish.
You can use these, and add your own. Write them out (by hand is best). Put them in a jar or box, and pull one out before a writing session to remind you of your purpose. You may even come to look forward to your writing sessions since you know you’ll get a shot of positivity!
Also, plan for rewards when you hit larger goals. Don’t let those go by uncelebrated! It’s easy to overlook or denigrate our accomplishments, and not give ourselves the support we deserve.
If you’re feeling uninspired and unmotivated, you may want to journal about it and ask yourself why. Are past failures and disappointments dragging at your desire to keep writing? Are you so overwhelmed with outer-world responsibilities that you don’t have any energy left over for creative work?
Again, the key word is compassion. Look truthfully at what’s keeping you from doing the work you say you’d like to be doing. Sometimes it’s a fallow period. Sometimes external pressures make it difficult to focus on our creative life. Sometimes it’s just inertia – we don’t have good practices in place right now, and it’s hard to remember how we feel when we do have those practices in place. Kind of like how if you’ve been eating lots of junk and not exercising, it can be hard to remember how it feels to eat healthfully and move your body regularly (not that I’m speaking from personal experience...). As you journal, gently uncover what might be stopping you, and see if you can shift the energy a bit.
Remember, you can always start small – a commitment of 15 minutes per day, or 250 words per day, or whatever feels doable at this moment. See if you can rope in an accountability buddy. It might simply be a quick text to share what you did that day, with maybe a call or email at the end of the week to discuss what went well and what didn’t, and your goals for next week.
Whether you’re filled with excitement at the thought of your goals for the New Year, or feeling more like it’s climbing Everest without extra oxygen, treating yourself with compassion and developing a positive mindset will work wonders. Affirmations may sometimes get a bad rap, but they work on your unconscious in subtle ways. A steady dose of positivity will gradually shift your perspective, and help you come to your writing with focus and determination. Even after things get hard, you’ll be better able to bounce back and achieve your goals.
If you like this, head on over to the Contact Page and sign up to get my monthly newsletter featuring tips on creativity, productivity, and the writer’s craft.
