I’m not usually a New Year’s resolutions or “new year, new me” type of person. Most of the time, I lean towards setting new goals and changing habits as soon as I realize my current ones are no longer serving me. It has been years since I’ve made a commitment to myself that I intentionally waited until January 1st to begin. While my usual way of being doesn’t center around making changes on the New Year, that doesn’t make one way better than the other. 

  The New Year is a time of change for many people. Having a big change that is external to us, like the digits of the year changing, can be viewed as a fresh start.

 We usually group our lives into years when we look back, so why not start off fresh on the first day of a new one?

This year, I am looking to January 1st as a sort of fresh start for me. Unlike the past couple of years, 2024 was more challenging than I’d have liked it to have been. 

  I experienced loss, injury, shifts to my career, and struggles in business. While all of these things have happened at different times in my past, having them all happen at once this past year took an extra toll. While I know nothing will “change” on January 1st, I actually am looking forward to a day I can note as an intentional new beginning.

  The changes I will be making won’t include a new diet, new workout program, or new supplements. Instead of dialing down to the specifics, I will be focusing on my intentions, the energy I show up to each day with, and prioritizing slowing down. 

  This past year showed me that not only do I not need to be moving so fast anymore, it isn’t sustainable. Trying to accomplish as many things as possible each day is leaving me exhausted, and not in the way where you feel like you’ve had the best day ever when you lay your head down on the pillow. Aiming for efficiency at every moment of every day has left me with my tank empty, feeling as if I am unable to fill it up more than halfway at any given time. 

  In 2025, I intend to slow down. I intend to move more thoroughly through my tasks each day, and to do this I must learn that it is okay to do less, and do it better. Whether it involves self-care tasks, writing, podcasting, organizing business finances, or spending time with my family, I will focus on moving slower, and being more present in each moment. 

  This next year, I want to enjoy the little, in-between moments of my life more. As I sit here in Starbucks on Christmas Eve writing this article you will read next week, I am taking deep breaths and paying attention to the people around me. I’m starting to practice my intentions and how I plan to show up next year, even before the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve. 

  Whether you are planning to overhaul your entire life on January 1st or don’t have any plans at all, take a moment to take a deep breath and really see what’s going on around you. There will always be moments we need to move quickly, but try to find just one where you can slow down. And remember, you don’t have to wait for a special day to start.

Xoxo

Coach Maggi