I normally try and keep a light tone to everything I do always looking for the positives. So it is an interesting choice for my first blog post of the New year to start with some negative data.
That is to say that 86% of New Years Resolutions fail! So there you go Happy New Year Love Liz x.
There are many reasons for that failure of course, maybe we aim for things that are simply not achievable (e.g. we want to lose weight, exercise more, overhaul our whole diet and quit booze in one month), or set goals that aren't really what we want for ourselves (e.g. we might decide to quit smoking because that's what our partner wants us to do). Maybe we simply don't want these things badly enough to sustain the action required or maybe we do want it but need some supporting in doing so.
There's a plethora of explanations out there I'm sure but for me it simply isn't the right time. January in general terms is a miserable month, long. cold, dark and lets face it your pay from December has to last longer than ever before. The excitement and indulgences of Christmas long gone and back to work or just January blues abound. There is a reason for sure that much of nature is hibernating at this time of year.
Now I don't want to be discouraging if you do have a goal or resolution this January I 100% applaud and support you but in my experience both in life and as a hypnotherapist is that the best time to make changes in your life is usually the time when you are so fed up, frustrated or irritated by a situation being the same that you want to scream. That you simply cannot and will not tolerate things staying the same for a second longer.
This was certainly the case for myself a few years ago when I overcame my phobia of birds as I described in this previous post https://www.lizellishypnotherapy.com/post/fight-or-flight I had absolutely had enough when I sought help.
It was also the case in 2021 when I finally plucked up the courage to quit a job that was no longer serving me. I remember vividly in the first week of the year back at my screen having to complete my annual review or appraisal form. I got to the section of the form headed "Long term goals - where do you want to be in 5 years time" and without really thinking I wrote "Anywhere that means I don't have to do anymore of this s**t". I'd thought the same thing before, many times in fact but I'd never written it down or really said it out loud and it had never before been accompanied by such a strength of feeling. I really meant it. Within 2 months I was working my notice period and leaving the job.
I'd had the same desire before just like we make the same resolutions year on year, the most popular ones according to YouGov are to get fit and improve our diets. I'm pretty sure we've all been working towards this at some point in our lives. However, what I hadn't had before was that sense of utter frustration pushing me on. That huge wave of emotion forming a massive driving force in me - put simply that was my Why!
If at the moment you are struggling to find your word for the year, your resolutions your goals or even just the energy to think about them. Then please be assured that you're not alone and that just because it's January does not automatically make it the right time for change.
I'm personally intending to ease gently into the New Year and feel my way. I'm not setting huge goals but instead I am setting intentions thinking more about how I can help more people through my business and continue to grow. I hope you'll come along with me in this New Year to find out where these intentions can take us.
Happy New Year! Liz x