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2016: The Year of YOU

by on ‎12-15-2015 11:46 AM

This new year I'm on a mission.

 

And no, it's not the clichéd "New Year, New Me" mission. You know, the one that has a tendency to put a magnifying glass over all our perceived flaws. Think about it: the most common new year's resolutions do little but force us to focus on the negative (I'm overweight, I'm still smoking, I'm in debt, I'm always late, I'm disorganized). That's no way to start a new year! You deserve better. I deserve better. We all do. So this year I'm on a mission.

 

You may have heard me speaking about this on air already.

 

I want 2016 to be "The Year of YOU."

 

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You. The woman who gives more of herself that anyone could ever ask. The woman who constantly sacrifices her own joy for the sake of others. Her children, her grandchildren, her spouse, her boss, her coworkers. You've likely been doing this since you were a child. It comes from love, I know. Because I've been doing it myself as long as I can remember too. I saw my mother do the same. I see my best friends doing it too. And please don't get me wrong! Selflessness is a beautiful thing. And giving of ourselves is what makes the human race divine. But my philosophy, and the one I want to champion in 2016, is this:

 

You can only take the best care of those you love when you take care of yourself first.

 

It's the Airplane Oxygen Mask scenario: they instruct you in airplanes that if the oxygen mask drops, you should put your own on first before assisting others. How can you help anyone if you've lost consciousness, right?? And the same goes in all of life. How can you take care of anyone if you're exhausted, ill, spiritually deprived and sad??

 

So let's make 2016 The Year of You. How? Well there's so many ways, but here are a few I'm going to work on myself:

 

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- Begin a Gratitude Journal. It costs nothing and pays infinite dividends. As you sip your morning coffee, or lie in bed before sleeping, jot down 5-10 things for which you are grateful. It can be as simple as clean running water or three square meals. As your gratitudes pile into that journal, your joy increases. And gratitude, I believe, is the great multiplier in life that brings even more abundance.

 

- Make every meal a special occasion. If you only have 15 minutes for breakfast or lunch that's ok! Why not take that microwave meal and set it on a pretty plate, or light a candle at the table as your eat that cereal? Food is a blessing. Treat it (and yourself) as such and it might give you the calm you need for the next few hours.

 

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- Meditate. No one has to see you do it, you don't have to chant or sit in a yoga position on the floor (but of course you CAN!). If it's only 60 seconds when you get in your car, or lingering in the bathroom one minute after your shower, it's enough. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and listen to your breath. Acknowledge your thoughts but let them slide in and out of your mind. Open your eyes, smile, and carry on.

 

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- Park a little further away than usual. March in place during commercial breaks. When you get to the top of the stairs at your house, walk back down and take them up one more time. If it's in your budget, purchase a fitness tracker and shoot for 1,000 more steps than you usually take. The sense of accomplishment will boost your mood, to say nothing of the fitness benefits!

 

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- Rather than beat yourself up over poor food choices, praise yourself when you treat your body with respect and make positive food choices. No one, no matter what they say or post online, is perfect when it comes to nutrition. Giving yourself a virtual high-five when you add a few more veggies to your plate or drink more water is so much more fun than berating yourself when you (gasp!) treat yourself every now and then.

 

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-Treat yourself every now and then. Seriously. There's a reason Gabby and I have "Cupcake Sundays." By having the indulgence to look forward to, we don't feel deprived the rest of the week!

 

- Before saying "yes" or "ok, I'll do it." Ask yourself if you'd rather say no. You'll be surprised how seamlessly the world will keep spinning if you decline to bend over backwards every single time you're asked. The kids will still love you, your boss will still value you, and your spouse will treasure you even if you do say "I'm sorry I can't this time" every once in a while. Trust me.

 

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- Create a vision board. Spend a spare hour printing out photos online or cutting photos out of magazines of places you'd like to visit, things you'd like to have, experiences you want to enjoy. Paste them onto a poster board and look at it daily. And when you do, feel the joy of having all those things on the board. Don't be shy about doing this. No one will think you're crazy. In fact, they'll be inspired to do the same. You can read more about my vision board and its magic here.

 

- Look people in the eye and say "thank you" and mean it. There are so many people throughout each day working hard to make our lives easier. Every clerk ringing you up, every server bringing you food, every officer, every doctor, every pilot, every cab driver, every postal worker...they're all human beings with their own struggles working hard just like you. They deserve our thanks. It's free, and it may be exactly what they needed that day. Side benefit: you feel good doing it too.

 

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-Thank yourself too. Look in the mirror and say:

  "I'm beautiful!"
  "I worked hard and I made it!"

  "Thank you for my health" or "Thank you for my healing"

  "This day is going to be amazing"

You may not believe it when you say it. But if you look yourself in the eyes and say them over and over again. They'll stick. Believe me!

 

As you can tell I'm really passionate about this. This costs nothing and will pay you immeasurably. And guess what?? By doing what's on that list you'll likely end up addressing the resolutions you may have made and then forgotten about each year prior! Let's do this together. Share with me how it's going, spread the word to your girlfriends (and guy friends!). Make this The Year of You. I think we'll be surprised at the end that it actually ended up being The Year of You and So Many Others.

 

We've earned it.

 

XO,

 

Jen