Ah, the New Year’s resolution. It’s an amazing idea, in theory. It fuels your desire to do better, be better, and inspires you to make a commitment to actually make it happen. And oh, how we all seem to start the new year with a relentless energy, ready to make the big changes we want to make. We are committed to being a healthier person – or even a better person – and we seek out ways to hold ourselves accountable.
But then something happens that challenges your sunny disposition and your good intentions. Reality sets back in and things get hard again. You face obstacles that challenge you in both predictable and unpredictable ways. Life happens.
What do you do when you find yourself facing life’s challenges? Do you go back to old habits because it’s easier? Or do you stay focused and committed to your goals?
The first few weeks of 2021 have certainly fueled this way of thinking. It’s much easier to fall back on old habits, even if they are unproductive habits, because you know them. They’re familiar to you. And change challenges your confidence.
But, let’s be honest: every weird and wild piece of news in 2020 shook everyone’s confidence.
So make a new commitment. Commit to rebuilding your confidence. Commit to developing the confidence to move forward with whatever promise you made to yourselves just a few short weeks ago.
And commit to showing up every single day.
Life happens. There’s nothing we can do about the twists and turns it shares. But we can control and manage ourselves and how we respond to each of life’s events.
So manage yourself when life gets hard. If you don’t know how to respond to the challenges, to learn how to navigate through the twists and turns, you’ll miss all the good things life has to offer.
Yes, even in a bizarre year where every twist and turn seems to happen at full speed, there is still a lot of good.
Now the ball is in your court. The old habits of 2020 are certainly easier to fall back on because they’re familiar. But it won’t make you better. So, will you go back to the old habits of 2020? Or will you stay focused on your goals, driving forward to make 2021 the year you want it to be?
Start with you. Stop and notice how capable you are. The you who is here right now. You have abilities and strengths that help you weather life’s challenges. List them. Focus on them. Applaud them. Commit to tapping into them because they are there for you.
Build your confidence by seeing how tough and great you are.
After all, challenges are just a test. The way you decide to meet those challenges is what determines what comes next for you.
So, when you’re faced with a challenge, how will you show up?