JANUARY IS AN INTERESTING MONTH…
Written by Gabriel Macura (Holistic Counselling)
For some, January can be a birth into a new year full of resolutions, zing and gusto. For others it can feel like the big event you forgot was on the calendar until the day before and it may take the whole month just to catch up with the return to life's giddy schedule. Either way, pacing oneself is the best way to ensure that the rest of the year has the desired tone and setting realistic, attainable goals plays a huge part in this.
I love this Tim Urban quote:
"No one "builds a house." They lay one brick again and again and again and the end result is a house. A remarkable, glorious achievement is just what a long series of unremarkable, inglorious tasks looks like from far away."
It can be so tempting to launch oneself into intense 'quick fix' makeovers - be it life, body, home, work. You name it. However lasting results are most often forged out of those seemingly small, 'unremarkable' repeated acts which become routines, rituals and habits.
Over time these repeated acts, perhaps insignificant in their outward appearance, are the gems which deliver us the deep and substantive outcomes we are all truly seeking. Just before the end of 2022 a very special human shared with me the idea of choosing a single word for the coming year in place of focusing on specific and defined New Year's resolutions. The aim is to feel into one's being with deep consideration in order to find a word that encapsulates the overall intention of your year ahead.
The joy in this exercise is found on many levels and, in particular, the way in which this 'intention word' has the potential to infuse into each and every decision, choice, act and thought process to ensure that you are staying true to your goals in a holistic way. For example, the popular resolutions to 'Join a gym' or 'Exercise more' could be replaced with the intention of 'Well-being' and suddenly all of our decisions in our everyday life can be mindfully imbued with the flavour of well-being rather than isolated incidents or efforts which end in burnout, boredom and mental and emotional self-flagellation by March.
It's not too late to get started with setting attainable goals which can steadily be achieved throughout the year.
If you'd like some support with working out your priorities, or would like to work with someone to hold accountability and a caring space there are many wonderful practitioners at In Symmetry who are available to do exactly that - either online or in person.
If you would like to book an appointment with Gabriel you can call the clinic on (03) 5429 3610 or book online by clicking the link below.