Dear Expats - Are You Ready To Take Up The Challenge For The New Year?
Written by Kimbles
It is that time of year again. Xmas is just around the corner and then a week later we will be toasting in the New Year. Streets, offices, and coffees shops are already buzzing with all the talk of the resolutions we plan to start on New Year’s Day. However, more often than not, the 1st of the year rolls around and we are still too full of the joys of the season to bother with our resolutions, but we resolve to start our plans in the new week. Unfortunately that date is often not adhered to either for a variety of legitimate or not so legitimate reasons.
What do we do? Well most of us almost literally take a club and beat ourselves up for our half-hearted attempts. We manage to pull off a few weeks or months during the year where we take some form of action in trying to reach our goals, but don’t really get anywhere and then all too soon New Year creeps up on us again.
It seems that the expectations we set ourselves up for at this time of year perpetuates yearly cycles of self-defeat, loss of self-esteem and entrenched beliefs that we are weak and cannot trust ourselves to make promises and goals and stick to them.
I feel that if approached differently we can turn this around and get to see the self-confident and goal-oriented individuals that we are. Why do we need to set ourselves up for failure? We know that more times than not most New Years’ resolutions are not adhered to. Lets face it, just how practical is it to start that diet on the 1st of January when all the delicious leftovers of the season still fills our fridges? Even more ridiculous is the idea of climbing on a treadmill when you are still full of the celebratory champagne of the New Year’s Eve function the night before.
I am going to suggest you be bold and step out of the self-defeating mould that we set ourselves up for around this time of year and TAKE ACTION NOW! Whatever it is you want to achieve, there is no time like the present to start making your dreams come true. If you are prepared to wait until after the new Year, maybe you need to rethink your goals and check if it is something you really want or not. What better motivation for the New Year than to already be 2 weeks into your New Year Resolution by the time the 1st January 2006 knocks at your door?
You have time now to ask yourself: “Is this really what I want?” Are you that interested in making your dreams become reality? Have you considered what a difference it might make to you if you not longer put off what you can start today?
I challenge you not to wait until the morning of the 1st January 2006 to start your list of resolutions. Take up the challenge and start today.
Don’t worry about doing whatever you want to do perfectly. Just start it! You can always make changes along the way. The idea is to take action. It is much easier to take action when you don’t expect precision. Then, obstacles will not frighten you. Being flexible is part of the learning process. Expect some hiccups, be prepared for them, and know that action, perfect or not will bring results.
Why wait until the New Year knocks at our door?
Quote of the week
“Action conquers fear.” Peter Nivio Zarlenga
Powerful question for the week
What New Year’s resolution are you considering that cannot be started tomorrow or the next day?
Kimbles is the resident writer at Xpatpals.com. An expatriate advice resource for expats living all over the world.
