Jumping Into the New Year
With the coming of the new year so many people are ready for a fresh start. I have never been one to let an arbitrary date on the calendar influence my desire for self-improvement. For me, every day is a gift of a new opportunity to do better than the day before. To learn more, give more, show more kindness and gratitude. Oftentimes, it is the beginning of Autumn that triggers me to reevaluate my life and my goals and it was around that time that I began making lots of changes with regard to healthier lifestyle habits. The first week of December marked a major commitment when I began the Shaklee 7 Day Healthy Cleanse.
I had told myself that if I could complete this cleanse, I could do anything at all that I set my mind to. You see, I have been struggling with taking the necessary steps toward reaching my goals…the primary obstacle being the very first step. I feel as if I have been standing on the edge of a cliff just waiting for someone to push me off so I could prove that I can fly. This has been a mistake…waiting for someone to push me off. That is not at all what I need. What I need is to jump. On my own free will. Jump fearlessly into the unknown and show myself that I absolutely can fly. Right in the direction of my dreams. So here and now, in this new calendar year, that is exactly what I am doing. Jumping.
It is not the calendar that has prompted my new approach, that is all merely coincidence in timing. Rather it is the dawn of a brand new day and a realization that I am the only person responsible for doing the work that will get me to where I want to be. So I have been taking action. I have been evaluating my self and working on the things that need the most work. Those things include my health, my energy level, my focus, and my commitment. I am on the exact right path with regard to health and energy. It is my lack of focus that has been troubling me. So I developed a new approach to things to help with focus and commitment. And I think it is a simple approach that is very doable…I need to think smaller in order to go bigger.
What exactly does that mean? I have had my eyes set on some pretty lofty objectives for quite some time. And all I ever got from it was a feeling of being overwhelmed. That feeling triggered fear and I allowed the fear to stop me right at the starting line. And that is where I have been standing for a long while now. Right at the beginning of something great. Just staring down the road feeling afraid. So I had to investigate exactly what was causing such immobilizing fear. And it was simply that I had set a grand task before myself without ever breaking it down into the smaller steps that are necessary to get there. Metaphorically speaking, I was trying to climb a very high ladder into the sky without ever adding the rungs to the ladder. This makes for an impossible task unless one really literally can fly.
So I began to place some rungs on my ladder, breaking the great goal down into tiny little steps and recognizing that as I climb each rung I need to celebrate it for the accomplishment that it is. Each and every day, I will add another rung to the ladder. Some days I may even add two. And by doing this, I can climb just about as high as I would like to. Keeping focus on each small step is so much easier than trying to keep a steady aim at a point that is just too far away in the distance. I know the dream is there at the end, but I need to hone in on the little tasks that are necessary all along the way. I need to think smaller to go bigger. That is my mantra for 2019.
So to start it off, I have set daily writing goals. I do want to continue posting as close to 7 days a week as I can while working on some writing goals that are outside of the blog. To be able to write in a meaningful and focused way, I had to give up some retail work hours. That alone has given me a new found energy and level of commitment. I now have 3 weekends a month off from work which allows me the time to relax and let my muse visit more frequently. It is also giving me more time to spend with my family which allows my muse additional avenues to get to me.
For purposes of my blog, this is my plan…
Monday: Motivational
Tuesday: #SpreadTheKindness
Wednesday: Quote of the Week
Thursday: Inspired By…
Friday: Link Up On the Edge
Saturday: Weekend Wish List
Sunday: Shelbee Says… (Mental Health) (Sunday posts will return to The Sunday Morning Quarterback when football season begins again in the fall.)
(There also may be the occasional post that is off-topic. These posts may be paid and/or sponsored and will help me to offset some of the costs associated with maintaining a website.)
And the moment my muse refuses to speak to me, I will take a writing break. So if I miss post here and there, it is simply a brief rest while I wait for the inspiration to return. And I will not get angry at myself for taking any and all of the breaks that I need. Clearing one’s mind is a necessary task to stay on track.
Think smaller to go bigger.
Repeat daily.
Do you have any new goals or mantras for the New Year? I would love to hear about them!
Jumping off the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Ups.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
21 Comments
Kim
I love your mantra, think smaller to go bigger. It’s definitely a good way to accomplish goals. I also mentioned in my latest post the same idea of only selecting one day a year to set goals, what’s up with that? I’m glad you are taking some time off of work–it will give that muse some much needed access!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Kim! I took the little blogging break to get some clarity and it was like a lightbulb went on when it came to me to think smaller to go bigger. So I guess those little mind clearing breaks really do work! Wishing you all the best in the New Year, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
jodie filogomo
You always have such a rational approach to life, Shelbee. It’s nice when you have a schedule but don’t HAVE to be tied to it if life gets in the way!!
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Jodie, thank you so much! It’s funny because I was just talking to a friend this morning about how conflicted my rational and emotional sides can become sometimes. And sometimes I curse that darn rationality in favor of reckless emotional abandon! The heart wants what the heart wants sometimes.
xoxo
Shelbee
Nancy
Think smaller to get bigger is true. If you let things lose it will feel better and then you can go further!
What an amazing booties! Love the hole look, and the hair!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Nancy! It really is quite an obvious thing…think smaller to go bigger…I don’t know why it took me so long to figure that one out! And my curls got a little crazy in these photos! I think I made them too small and then they got too big and frizzy! Ha. Still learning how to curl my hair at 44 years old.
xoxo
Shelbee
Gail
Love your positive attitude and new mantra Shelbee. I’ll definitely support as many of your pickups as I can and look forward to your content!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Gail! I am hoping that my content has value to inspire others to live their best life!
xoxo
Shelbee
LORENA
The boots, the skirt, the pendant.. there are so many things i like about this look Michelle.
I like your mantra, I feel that sometimes i want to doo too many things and end up doing nothing..
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you so much, Lorena! This outfit is definitely one that is a bit different from my usual style choices, but I do like it, too. And yes, I think when we try to do too much it can get us stuck at the point that we do nothing. Breaking it all down into smaller bits makes it so much more manageable and less overwhelming.
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar A Strauss-Benjamin
You have such a good outlook! Love the outfit.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Tamar! Keeping a good outlook is sometimes hard work, but so worth it!
xoxo
Shelbee
Kellyann Rohr
Your mantra for the year is a good one and I like it so much – think smaller to go bigger. Breaking big goals down into smaller steps is the only way to go. Although I know this it is hard for me to put into practice at times but this year I am trying to work in reverse and see how I can make what I want to happen, happen. I’ll use my planner to do it and hopefully it will work for me. I’ll be sharing more about it in the coming weeks!
And you look AMAZING!
xo,
Kellyann
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Kellyann! I do love my planner for laying out the smaller steps to get to the bigger goal. And it is really important to celebrate the accomplishment of each small step…even if it is just with a pat on your own back. But even then, I sometimes fall short on the small goals that I have planned out…so it is equally important to cut yourself some slack and just pick up where you left off and keep moving forward in the direction you want to be heading. I look forward to reading about how you are using your planner! Be sure to stop by tomorrow…I have a special post for you!
xoxo
Shelbee
Melissa
Yes girl! No need to wait for the New Year for an outlook like this. Celebrating each goal you have, small a big I definitely lack on. When I achieve something I’m just like right, lets do the next thing on my list. But your way of viewing things seems like where I want to be.
And also, I need each item in your outfit! The hot pink the perfect pop!!
xo
Mel
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Mel! You are a woman with lofty goals like myself, so you definitely should be celebrating each little one that gets you there! I highly recommend some chakra alignment if you can. The clarity I am experiencing is amazing! I wish you all the best and so much success in 2019, my friend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Jessica A Jannenga
What a cute outfit and you know I love those booties, the colors are great! I love the pencil skirt and your hair curly is adorable!
thanks for linking!
jess xx
http://www.elegantlydressedandstylish.com
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Jess! I think I curled my hair too tight on this one but I keep trying with the curls!
xoxo
Shelbee
Daydreams of a Mum
This post struck a chord with me , about having to jump yourself as opposed to being pushed and also about breaking big , overwhelming goals into little steps in order to make them feel a little more do able. I hope you acheive these dreams you are setting yourself. ps I love the jacket #blogcrush
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Kelly, thanks so much. I am glad that you were able to relate and hopefully found some inspiration for yourself as well. I wish you all the best in the New Year! May it be filled with so many blessings.
xoxo
Shelbee
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