It's my favorite Month!

My birthday is January 2nd. It's a tough one. Combo Christmas-Birthday gift scams, everyone is totally OVER partying and over-indulging, no one has any cash left for presents... And honestly, people forget! I mean, it really sneaks up on you!

And still, I love my birthday. I most often look forward to my most treasured gift, being with friends and family. Gosh that really sounds drippy sugar sweet. Well, it's true. A lot of times when I was younger, we headed back to school from Christmas break on my birthday - what a treat! No, really! I was so ready to be with all my friends that I was happy to head back to school. And now, my kids are usually still home and for this one day of the year I get my way no questions asked! Ha!

The kids are actually really great about my birthday and I adore the attention they wrap me in. Here's a video from my birthday two years ago. The kids surprised me with a much needed new phone. Typical family gathering with my mom, a couple friends, a big knife, lots of laughs and a few tears. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 

January is for new starts - until February...

Ever made a resolution and been completely pumped up and ready to tackle it only to have February punch you in the nose?

Consider this: In the promise of a new year, in the excitement of the ball dropping, in the thrill of a New Year's midnight kiss, you've set yourself up for failure.

Your reason for going into action is immature. Your outcome goal is too undefined. Your action goal is too big. Your actions haven't been prepared for enough to really be successful. Your February sucker punch is on its way and the worst part about it is the resignation that follows. 

So what is there to do? Couldn't I have sent you this article in December?? (Maybe next year...)

Well, first, take a look. Does this scenario seem familiar to you? If so, start by giving yourself some grace around past years' failings. Think of it like this: Your grandmother gave you her famous flaky, melt-in-your-mouth, biscuit recipe.

For years though, your biscuits just haven't turned out right! When finally you ask your mom about it, she looks at the recipe and says, "Grandma forgot to write down the sour cream! It's the secret ingredient!" You add in what was missing and have a whole new experience with biscuit making. Grab the jelly!

When you learn new tools and add in that secret ingredient, your biscuit making experience changes drastically and how you see yourself as a biscuit-maker does too.

Now that you have absolved yourself of using an incomplete recipe, next look at the recipe you've pulled out for this year - have you identified some missing ingredients? Do you need to hit the pause button and dig deeper into your "why"? Put some metrics around that goal?  Be more realistic in your action goals or add in meticulous planning around the actions of the next few weeks? 

You already have the "recipe" for an exciting, promising, even thrilling new year - take time to add in the secret ingredients for real success!

If you haven't read this book...

I'm not what I would call a "reader". I am easily distracted, sometimes have to read passages over and over for comprehension (nursing research articles for grad school took some serious effort!), and if the content is not engaging enough I peace out pretty quick. However, I set a goal a couple years ago that I wanted to read everyday - and I started with James Clears' Atomic Habits. It's one of my favorite, most useful books that I have ever read, and I pass it on to everyone I know. It's practical and relatable and for all you "non-readers," its chapters are about 7 pages each, so you really don't ever feel stuck in the mud. The stories are engaging and the simplicity of all the actionable ideas is genius. Highly recommend this resource for your January!

Find out more here: https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits 

What's on the Calendar?

January 10 - Healthy Living Coaching Group; Lose Weight, Get Fit, Find Joy begins at 7 p.m.

February 17 - Ultimate Triathlon Women's Conference; Three Ways to Strengthen your Mind, Body, and Financial Health begins at 5:30 p.m. 

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