Get A Leg Up!

What are you going to do to make sure that you have the best year ever? What one thing will mean the difference in actually achieving your goals, rather than chalking them up to yet another year’s unfulfilled resolutions? Think about it!

Here are a few helpful tips that will help give you a “leg up” for this coming year. 

Clean out your closet and donate unwanted clothes to charity. This is one of my favorite New Year activities, and it’s the first thing I do each January to get myself moving in the right direction. Uncover, discover and discard unwanted clutter in your closet so that you can find clarity in your life. Studies have shown that there is a link between physical clutter and psychological clutter; cleaning out your closets, drawers and storage areas actually frees up mental space for new, exciting activities and creative thoughts. Plus, you get the added bonus of giving back to someone who could really benefit from the things you don’t need anymore.

Build values everyday. People do business with people they trust and who make them feel valued. Thus, our values of customer service and providing exceptional products should guide every decision we make and every conversation and interaction we have. This includes our own team members as well as our customers. If we can’t link what we do to one of our values, we should ask ourselves why we’re doing it. It’s that simple. 

Expand your thinking with new experiences. Commit to trying something new that you have always considered doing, but haven’t ever had the little extra push to go for it. You could take a class, hike a new trail, volunteer for a cause that you find meaningful, read a book on a subject you’re unfamiliar with, or even research and plan a vacation (you don’t actually have to take the vacation to get the benefit of expanding your thoughts and getting motivated). After you accomplish or even just try something new, take the time to notice how the experience affects your life. Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr. said, “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.”  Make it a point to leave your comfort zone and experience something new!

Slow down to speed up. It’s easy to stay busy and constantly be moving as fast as you possibly can. But, what’s the point of spending your days climbing a random mountain, only to realize at the end of the year you’ve climbed one that didn’t help you reach your goal? At the beginning and end of each day, try to slow down, think, visualize where you want to go and write it down.  You’d be amazed at how much of an impact this small task can make on your overall sense of well-being. 

Get a whole new hairstyle or haircut. Can making a small change, such as cutting your hair, really have an impact on your life? Absolutely! Small changes are wonderful ways to get into action and feel good about ourselves. A haircut is one small thing that gives you something to focus on and celebrate – something that will help drastically in keeping you moving forward. A haircut is something you can do right away that demonstrates you have control over your life and what happens to you. 

Make a commitment to fitness – physical and mental. Join a class at your fitness club, an exercise group, a sports team, or, if you can afford it, hire a trainer. Not only will you get in shape and lose a little weight, you develop both mental and physical strength. A healthy mind and active body work in unison to make you a more interesting and happier person.

Help create a more meaningful and magical year for yourself with these few simple steps. Pick the one baby-step you think will be easiest, and then add another when you succeed. Getting a leg up on the New Year doesn’t have to be hard. New Year’s resolutions should be things that make you feel better no matter what, even if you don’t follow through. You just have to stay positive and keep trying. With enough effort and patience, everything will work out. Just sayin’…