As the page of the calendar flips over, it’s hard not to reflect on the year that was and look ahead to the year coming. Given it’s our big summer holiday, Kiwis are often more retrospective at this time of year too. For many of us, it’s our big chill season – time to relax and recharge.
Looking back over the year can be good, unless it really was a year to bury. In the process of reflection, we tend to project our wishes for the upcoming year. We might even think of things we had set out to do at the beginning of last year. But didn’t. And this is where it can be problematic. There’s nothing like the guilt of resolutions unresolved.
Our cover star Petra Bagust says she doesn’t worry about making New Year resolutions anymore.
“Is the summer break a wonderful time to take stock and make some decisions about how you want to launch? Yes, but not to try and change 15 things about your life and fail within the first month and beat yourself over with a stick.”
And that’s the thing. From the comfort of our sun lounger, we can dream up a pretty hefty list of things to do or achieve. All of which seem noble and aspirational. But how realistic are they? As soon as life slots back into routine it can be incredibly challenging to make the changes we wish. And then comes the sense of failure which is more damaging for our self-confidence than if we hadn’t made any resolutions at all.
So don’t make a list of resolutions. Choose one or two things that you can start on today and start with that.
One year for Petra it was running. So she started along Medlands Beach while on holiday, doing 2 kms at a time. She built it up to 6km and maintained that for a few years until her body protested and she chose yoga and walking instead. Starting the running goal on holiday, working within the environment she had and taking bite sizes pieces of it, ensured it was a success.
Whatever you choose to focus on, start it small, start it now and find a way to make it work within your lifestyle on holiday and then when you’re back in the ‘real world’.
Read more about Petra and her plans for 2024 in the current issue of Good – perfect for holiday reading!
