You guys, it’s almost new-year-new-me time so instead of talking about money, I want to talk about New Year’s resolutions or rather, an alternative to this age-old January tradition.

I both hate and love this time of year. What I hate about it is the way it makes people delay making positive changings in their life. News flash: you can make a change whenever you want or need, any time of the year. But what I love about New Years is the process of reflecting on what’s happened in the last 12 months and where all of it got me. In a way, it’s like witnessing a complex puzzle come together on hyperlapse (even though I don’t know what the puzzle is supposed to look like).

I thought it would be fun to share my version of New Year’s resolutions. Ready, rock-steady?

I typically start my process well before the new year, around October 1st if I can, as I like to take my time, dig deep and get really specific.

This year was extra special and interesting (i.e. hella hard) as I finally took the leap from employee to entrepreneur in the spring, after side-hustling for almost 4 years. More on this in a future blog post. Last month, I did Danielle Laporte’s Desire Map workshop at this amazing conference that I attended (jointherise.ca presented by theaceclass.com), and holy heck, was my mind blown. Naturally, I left the conference feeling inspired to take her heart-centered approach to my practice.

Wanna try this with me?! Here’s what I learned:

Start with how you want to feel. Ask yourself this simple question: "How do I want to feel?”. In your journal, brainstorm what feelings make you come alive and aligned with your true self. Things like Love, Joy, Resilient, Brave, Abundant, Strong, Peaceful, Connected, etc.
Reframe. Instead of saying “I want to lose 20 pounds” or “I want to make more money” you can reframe your goal around your core desired feelings to “I want to feel free and confident and strong in my own body” or “I want to feel abundant and valued”
Implement daily. Don’t wait until January 1st to start making changes! Once you decide on your desired feelings, commit to doing something each and every day to make yourself feel those feels. Yes, please to catching feels, and catching them daily.

I noticed a big shift when I started this approach rather than sticking to the same resolutions year after year. My resolutions felt more positive and more about me working towards what I really want versus what I think society expects of me. It was truly a life-changing experience and I hope it has the same impact on you!

Happy almost new-year-new-me!