Resolutions have always been on people’s minds as soon as the holidays come around. “What do I want to do to better myself next year?” “What do I need to do less of?” “What new hobby do I want to pick up?” The thought of a fresh start is always so exciting as you are able to let things go from the past and start with a completely fresh slate.
This year I started my new year’s resolution in the middle of 2022 rather than beginning of 2023. To get into the habit of something and build consistency takes a lot of time, trial and error. I will admit I did fall off a couple times, but because of the ample
time I had I was able to pick myself back up and continue where I left off. Once 2023 started that mid-year resolution was not something I wanted to quit or slack on because it had already become consist in my lifestyle. Resolutions do not need to start on January 1st. Find a goal and push yourself to do it no matter the point in time.
You don’t need to wait until next week, or next month. Why not start tomorrow? Resolutions are always a good way to bring excitement and challenge into your daily life. It will help you grow or let go of what is holding you back. Whether the resolution is small or big, it is always good to start somewhere!
– Loreen
YOUR LIFE
As a new year begins, I am one of those people who enjoy setting my new year’s resolutions. Resolutions force me to reflect on the past and set intentions for the future. I use them as a guideline for trying to improve an area of my life and to reach specific goals. This self-reflection allows me to be more mindful of my actions and make decisions towards growth. Additionally, having clarity around a renewed purpose often motivates me to take immediate action and avoid procrastination.
My career can be very stressful at times; especially during periods of uncertainty in the financial markets. Last year was certainly one of the hardest investment environments I have tried to navigate since 2008. I read that of the 112 asset classes that Morningstar identifies for investing, 105 (or 94%) of them lost money. As a way of dealing with stress, Iusually find an outlet like playing tennis or soccer. I try to find something that forces me to put 100% of my mind toward that activity. In 2022, I found myself slipping into the trap of watching mindless videos on various social media outlets. Before I knew it, I had spent an hour of my time watching videos of random people performing crazy stunts. While they were impressive, I didn’t feel that was the best use of my downtime.
For 2023, I intend to use my downtime more productively. I am going to listen to more audio-books and podcasts. I also joined a local Jiu Jitsu gym to help release some of this stress, in an activity I haven’t done in years. Personally, I have found that a key to having a successful resolution is accountability. So, I encourage you to ask me how I am being productive outside of work. Big changes start with small steps and it is never too late to work towards becoming the best version of yourself.
– Jason
YOUR LEGACY
New Year’s resolutions are ingrained in our culture and goal setting is a normal practice for most. I Googled the difference between the two, and found: A resolution is a statement of what you want to change. For example, saving money. A goal is a statement of what you want to achieve; the steps you need to take to achieve it; and when you want to achieve it by. I have subscribed to writing resolutions and goals every year since I got out of college. For me, I enjoy the process and thinking of all the things that can be achieved if I put my mind to it.
This year it is taking me longer to get in the mood or really feel into “my 2023 goals,” and I haven’t finalized them yet. I believe that feeling ready is an important part of the process since making a goal and not believing you can do it typically doesn’t work out very well. I recently watched a YouTube video that explained that you are fighting the nature of your body in the winter season by setting goals now. They said the winter season is not a time to create, but rather a time of going internal and sheltering in (like animals hibernating). I read a follow-up article agreeing with this, reminding us that holidays can be a stressful time of the year, and a period of rest is needed afterwards. The article suggested mid-February, with the anticipation of springtime, could be a better time to use that “Spring Energy” to leap in to action. This made sense to me, and I have decided to use this confirmation bias to support my procrastination.
Our team does an annual strategy meeting where we come together to share our goals and find areas to focus on for growth and evolution throughout the year. Coincidentally, our schedules forced us to postpone that meeting until mid-February this year. I love synchronicity and when things fall into place.
– Travis