"5 Strategies for Finding Direction When You're at a Crossroads This New Year"

Last week, I shared that during my ‘Hermitage Year’ as I’m calling it (thank you Caroline Myss), some very positive things happened to me as well as very hard things. My boys and I moved home near a beach we love but the real icing on the cake was that shortly afterwards, my long distance partner joined us from overseas!  We’re deeply grateful to share our lives together and I’m excited to tell you that we got engaged last summer too!  I know!

It all sounds like a vision board come to life and it really has been so wonderful. I’ve got to see how, truly, there’s no dream too big for us to dream and here’s the key -

Life has beautiful unknown paths for us

to meander down at any age and stage.

When I look back to harder chapters of my life, I wish I could go back and tell myself then that it would all be ok. Not to fret. To let each season be a season. Not to think that painful chapters go on forever.

And, I want to encourage you - especially if life’s challenging just now -if you’ve lost a loved one - had a relationship break down or are experiencing a hard chapter for any reason, I send you a big hug. I know how you feel - I’ve been there. Life is hard in certain chapters but the illusion is that there’s no way out and that the way you feel now is permanent. It’s not!

You’re not too old and it’s not

too late to go for what you want.

Instead of Resolutions, try Reflecting…

If life’s challenging just now, reflect on what you really need this New Year. Instead of resolutions, reflect so you can re-build a new chapter based on solid, authentic ground.

 If you can dream it, you can do it.

When we’re stressed, we sometimes isolate ourselves. It’s hard to acknowledge there’s anything missing so we continue alone with our pain.  We sometimes binge eat, over drink, gamble or waste hours in front of the TV zoning out because of stress, anxiety or feeling at a crossroads in our lives.

But isolation leads nowhere good and we deserve support to make the changes needed. 

In the coming weeks, I’ll share how my coaching clients have turned challenges around and created happy, connected, exciting lives instead of feeling stuck, bored, stressed out or alone in their lives.

If you’re at a Crossroads this New Year…

Make time to reflect upon where you are in your life -what matters to you now and where you want to go next.  Reflection time is not the same as isolating or numbing out with booze, junk food or the TV.

If you want this year to be different from last, make time for this. 

Reflection time gives you real, inner wisdom from where you can make goals that will heal you - uplift you and change your life for the better.

What’s your life telling you right now?

If you reflect on last year and realise you spent 2023 stressed out, you’ll realise that 2024 needs to be about prioritising inner calm and more sleep.

If you’re feeling lonely or disconnected, life’s nudging you to foster old relationships and create new ones too. 

Feeling overweight this new year? Ask what might be the real underlying reasons you’re not shifting the pounds, instead of diving into a calorie counting frenzy.

If your relationship could use a lift, you might decide to dedicate one weekend a month just for you and your partner.

You get the idea - slowing down to reflect shows us where to place our focus.

An Alternative Plan for 2024.

I want my emails to inspire and help you so here’s some coaching questions to help you make a great plan for 2024.

1. Who was I with and what was I doing when I experienced joy in 2023?

2. What challenging situations did I face in 2023 and what can I take away from them?

3. What do I want to keep from the past?” and “What do I want to let go of ..?

4. What am I taking for granted in my life?

5. What area of my life feels most important to focus on this new year eg health/ relationships/ finance/ career.  Focus on this one area this new year to effect real change.
   

Enjoy your reflection time and remember -you don’t have to do this sitting quietly. Why not record your answers into your voice memos app on your phone while walking? My clients tell me that their minds are more resourced when they’re calm -what about you?

Have a great week my friend and thanks for reading this.