My sister loves the Harry Potter movies. She’s watched each film many, many times.
She even has the wands and is still more than slightly frustrated that she can’t reproduce their magical effects when waved in the air accompanied by the appropriate incantation…! (Yes, a bit of her still believes in magic. I think her favourite spell is “Eat slugs!” so I’m particularly glad she can’t reproduce this!).
But what about you? As 2022 approaches, if you had that magic wand, what would you change?
Covid-19? Climate change? The care crisis?
I know. I wish I had a magic spell for that too.
I may not be able to change the world with a flash of a wand but I do have the ability to change me and my world, not by magic but by making different decisions and choosing new behaviours.
These days between Christmas and the New Year often provide time and space to think about what we might want in the New Year though I know many of us are also put off. We’ve had to much experience of failure. Too many New Year’s resolutions that didn’t work, that weren’t sustained and maybe we’ve given up on the whole idea of being able to choose to change.
It really doesn’t need to be that way.
Wherever you find yourself, that’s fine by me if it’s fine by you, I’m not here to tell you that you need to change anything.
This time last year I re-committed to eating a lower-carb diet. I feel healthier when I choose that and, I must say that my carb consumption has increased over Christmas. A little more bread, a mince-pie or two, pancakes for breakfast this morning… Much as I’m enjoying the occasional treat right now, I know I want to change that and reduce my carb intake in the New Year!
If you want to make changes, to choose to grow, I’d be delighted to encourage you, support you, help you discover how it is possible.
Some people go big. They set big, inspiring, motivating goals… If that’s you, I’ll happily be your cheerleader!
Personally I prefer to start small, with little changes that maybe only I can see or notice but I have the confidence I can complete. It’s also good to know I can build upon these small changes to make them bigger if I choose to do that.
There’s no right way, just the way that works for you and there will be a way that works for you… you might just need to find it.
But today isn’t the day for work. I’m still in holiday mode. I might be thinking, dreaming, planning for what comes next but I’m definitely not working, not yet.
Books I often enjoy reading around this time of year include: Your Best Year Yet, Atomic Habits and Tiny Habits. Sometimes I re-read them, skimming through notes I’ve made in previous readings. Sometimes I choose a section or two to re-visit in depth.
Me, I’m planting the seeds for change, giving myself the space to play with ideas, possibilities, exploring options, maybe gently hatching plans for what might come in the New Year.
I’ve been creating a mind map of some of these possibilities – I tried using an app on my iPad and I’ve hand-drawn a physical map. I personally enjoyed the physicality of the latter but there’s no doubt that the former will be more useful as a tool going forward…
What about you?
In these wet and windy times what plans are you hatching and how do you capture or nurture them? Have you found that balance between feel-good-physicality and long-term-utility? I’d love to know what works for you.
Take care, keep in touch and keep hatching those plans!
Margaret