So many of our New Year resolutions contain the word ‘stop’. It’s negative and we may resent it. Possibly, it may create an internal battle and distract us from living our ‘best life’. However, I believe that using it may have its benefits.
When you’re driving your car and you see a ‘Stop’ sign, what do you do? You automatically stop. You obey the rules of the road. Now it’s time to obey the rules of life – a few tweaks will get you back on track from any deviations you have made. I will not apologize for using the word ‘stop’ as I believe it can be a simple power-tool, a tool that will bring you back to where you should to re-start your journey.
STOP PLODDING
Plodding is of no benefit so it’s time to change. It slows your progress down and most certainly makes you feel miserable. Physically and mentally, you lack energy and life becomes a tiresome chore instead of the wonderful adventure it is.
Other words for plod are – trudge, shamble, clump, stumble, and galumph. Get the picture? Delete these words from your mind and your vocabulary, unless you’re playing scrabble. Focus on other ways to travel through life.
Hover above your perceived problems. You will see them with greater clarity. Soar above them and solutions will be revealed.
2022 Resolution Number 1.
Stop Plodding. Take flight and discover new lands!
STOP SIGHING
Difficult not to sigh when we’re in the midst of the Covid pandemic and our politicians can’t seem to agree on what social restrictions can be eliminated, if any. Sighing makes you miserable and becomes a habit, often subconscious.
It doesn’t relieve your worries, quite the opposite. If you’re a prolific ‘sigher’ the occasional sigh of relief when you’ve completed a job can be misinterpreted. Your sigh of relief becomes a sigh of despair to those around you as that’s all they usually hear from you.
They may even avoid you, dreading that ‘sigh’ you emit just before you intone the latest media-fed bad news.
2022 Resolution Number 2.
Stop sighing. Acknowledge and accept what is happening and do what
you can to ease your life.
FULL STOP
This particular ‘stop’ is a positive one. Think about it. Without a full stop in sentences words would run into each other and not make sense.
Too many times in our lives we omit the ‘full stop’ and muddle along, often caught up in past events that are no longer of value. Your internal engine cannot perform at its maximum rate if it’s clogged up with thoughts of past failures or doubts on your innate abilities to succeed.
Using a mental ‘full stop’ and telling yourself that it’s time to rev up your internal engine will help you reach your ultimate goals. You know what didn’t work so punctuate it with a ‘full stop’. Now you can move forward with ease starting your journey afresh.
2022 Resolution Number 3.
Punctuate your internal dialogue and clarify its message.
START SMILING
This is one amazing ability you already have. Did you know that smiling is beneficial to your health? It releases endorphins which are your personal magic pill, but no need to pay for it or pop it. Smiling lights up your face and even better works on your physical and mental health.
It boosts your immune system, boosts your mood, reduces pain, blood pressure, stress and increases endurance. When you smile people smile back. It’s as much a gift to them as to yourself.
There are times when you don’t feel like smiling and all you can produce is a rictus expression that makes you look even more miserable.
There is only one cure for this – practise, be it in front of your mirror, or on the people you meet daily. Practise wholeheartedly and with confidence. Think about the side-effects and allow that smile to kick all its amazing health benefits into action.
If that doesn’t work for you, think about the smile you bestow on someone else. You may well give them a mental boost, a few moments of pleasure. I’ve often returned from a walk and remarked to my husband that someone I didn’t know smiled at me. It made me feel so good and the sun shone that little bit brighter.
2022 Resolution Number 4.
Smile your way to health and happiness.
STOP AND START
That’s life. Stop and start. Stop and start. The important thing is to ensure you do start again no matter how many times it takes. You’ve left your car idle for months and now it won’t start. Like your mind and body, cars are designed to perform, not left unused and unloved.
You pull out the choke. Turn the key repeatedly. Smack the battery. You utter a few choice words. Nothing works. There is no welcome sound of revving.How many times have we neglected ourselves, mentally and physically and under-performed?
However, the good news is that a mental smack, a telling-off and a jump-start of positivity will shift you from your inertia, from your permanent ‘what’s the point?’ setting. Go back to the starting point. The phrase – “Start as you mean to go on” says it all. In other words, change your daily habits, do everything differently and drive your personal engine at the correct speed. Enhance your performance with positive affirmations and stay on the high-way.
2022 Resolution Number 5. Keep your start button activated
HONOUR YOURSELF THIS YEAR
Treating yourself with love and self-care will produce maximum health benefits and honour the amazing machine that is your body. It will also ensure that you live your life fully and progressively. No-one wants to live half a life or have regrets.
We all have to work with the capabilities we have and push the notch up to maximum power. It may not be easy at first, but it doesn’t take long to become accustomed to a new way of thinking, a new way of performing and living your life wholly and happily. You deserve that.
There will be times when you may have to shift the notch down to a lower power, but that’s fine. Don’t perceive that as failure. It’s a form of regeneration – mentally and physically. What’s important is not to make it the default setting but to use it constructively. You’ve had time to pause and recalibrate. However, no more hesitation. You know what you want, where you’re going and how to get there.
Be resolute in all you do. Resolve to live your life in a manner that is honourable and true.
Honour yourself by completing this journey knowing that there are many more adventures ahead. Honour yourself this year and ensure that 2022 is an awesome year for you.
Read my blog – New Year Happiness
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Every single time I read anything of yours I am inspired.. I do believe your writing has a magic energy that any readers should feel lucky to receive 😇😍
Adele, Thank you for your truly lovely comment. It’s wonderful to receive feedback like this. xxx
Feel free to pass my blogs on to everyone you know. I would appreciate that.