I don’t know about everyone out there, but my 2022 didn’t get off to a great start.. This January has been anti-climactic, usually the beginning of the year, I have an entire list of New Year resolutions, I’m all pumped up and ready to go.  This year I wasn’t feeling it, maybe it’s a testament to a great December, how could I beat it?? I love the festivities of Decembers, Christmas, the social gatherings, the family get-togethers..

February rolled around and still I had no New Year resolutions. 

How am I gonna up my game this year? It’s not starting off too well, I can’t get out of bed before 7.30am every morning, I have low energy level, I’m a little confused about my trajectory in life..  OMG I’m a loser! No pressure here.. but then I remembered something Einstein said “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result”.. You know what? I think I’ll do the opposite this year.. 2022 is the year I start off slow and end strong.  And that brought me back to a particular Seinfeld episode, it goes like this:

George Costanza : “My life is the complete opposite of everything I want it to be. Every instinct I have in every aspect of life, be it something to wear, something to eat… It’s often wrong.”

Jerry Seinfeld : If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right.

George Costanza : Yes, I will do the opposite.

In 2022, I will be George Costanza, and I’ll do the opposite of what I usually do:

• I will stop surrounding myself with people that don’t serve me;
• No more negative self-talk, ya right! Let’s see how long that one lasts…
• Working smart not hard;
• Saying yes when I just want to say no!

My goals for this year – 2022

1. Simplify life. The most simple things are the most meaningful things. This year is my year to
   focus, I’m done with spreading myself thin doing a million things. I know subconsciously I do it as a way of coping with my fear of failure. It’s easier to fail at one thing when you’re doing a million things, it goes by unnoticed, and it makes me feel less inadequate.  However, it also limits me because I don’t have the time to focus on any one thing that I love and that I could potentially be really good at.
2. Work smart not hard.  My default is rush rush rush everywhere, it’s emotionally tiring and physically draining, and one of the biggest sources of my stress. And it’s easy to get caught up doing so many different things, we live in a world that prides itself on being busy ALL THE TIME. Time is a valuable
   resource. Staying organized will help you work smarter while not losing sight of your values and your mission.  I read recently this quote by Stephen Covey, the author of the famous time management matrix: “The key is in not spending time, but in investing it.  You can spend time on useful and useless things, but if you call it “investing”, you’ll definitely invest it in something that has value and importance for you”. So choose your goals wisely so that time you spend on them becomes an investment, not an expense.
3. Keep showing up.  I just love what Hilary Clinton had to say in her Masterclass: “There are a lot of showhorses out there, be the workhorse”. The workhorse is reliable and delivers impactful results over the long run. Consistency wins the game. Keep showing up in your life. 
4. Stay away from negativity and negative people.  At Tony Robbins’ Unleash The Power Within event in Sydney Australia 2019, the one thing that really stuck with me was when he said “You’re the average of the 5 people you hang out with”; so if my goal is to better myself why would I hang out with people who don’t serve that purpose. It took me a while to figure this one out, I thought I was being charitable and kind but in fact I was holding myself at a much lower standard and that wasn’t serving me.
5. Feed your soul. Keep a gratitude journal. I love the 5 minute journal app on my phone.  I write 3 things I’m grateful for every morning and I recount 3 amazing positive things that happened to me every day.  I try to meditate everyday even if it’s 5 minutes a day.  I recommend Alo Moves, they
   have amazing short meditations.  I especially love Jackie Stewart’s meditations, her voice is soothing and leaves me feeling relaxed and serene after.  And another important thing, I try to consistently do, is to keep reaching for things outside my comfort zone. Steve Harvey says
   “Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Take yourself outside of your comfort zone. The path to success is not always comfortable”.
6. Last but not least, “lose weight”. This one is ALWAYS on my list, every year! But the difference this time, I’m not only committing to myself I’m also committing to everyone of you reading this. Maybe that’ll hold me more accountable than in the previous years. This time though, I am setting smaller goals, monthly goals, and a final date of June 30^th for the bigger goal.  I’m starting slow and steady, 2 workouts a week and 2 yoga practices a week. Remember, I’m starting off slow this year and ending it strong! So I won’t make the mistake I generally tend to make which is pushing myself too hard and then fizzling out pretty quickly. I’m trying to cultivate a healthy lifestyle that is sustainable.  According to James Clear, author of Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones “People look at habits as a finish line to be crossed when in actual fact it’s a lifestyle to be lived”.  

Now… my question to all of you is?

1. What is the one thing you will do this year to simplify your life?
2. What is your number one goal for this year, and break it down into small achievable goals?
3. What is the one thing you will do for your spirit?