Written by: Tanya Tsikkos, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Guide yourself into this new year with a renewed sense of self, enabling you to align with your life’s purpose, and to manifest your desires.
How refreshing it is to know that this brand new year is full of fresh new opportunities and a chance to start anew. I've often started a new year with the idea of reinventing myself, but this year, I'm going to do things a little differently. I am going to start investing more in myself.
Instead of trying to stick to New Year's resolutions (which most often fall by the wayside a couple of months into the new year), I'm going to pick one word for this new year, and use it as a mantra to guide me into this new phase of my life. My word is 'decisive'. I will use this word to help me to make better choices, to steer me on a path of personal growth and development, and to remind myself of my values.
Take the time to think about what you want from this new year. What would you like to achieve? How do you want to take care of yourself, and how do you want to nurture your 'best self'?
This is the perfect time to nourish yourself, to take care of your mind, body, soul and spirit. This is the time to set the foundations for greater energy, so you can build on your dreams.
Try these 4 simple things that will help you to unlock your desires, and to aid your betterment:
Figure out exactly what you want
I'm going to say it again, as I always say, journal, journal, journal! Write down what you want 2024 to look like. Journaling your thoughts plays a fundamental role in getting your brain to focus on what you need, and empowering yourself to act upon your visions, to create those small shifts that will get you closer to your goals and aspirations.
Think about your achievements and the milestones you reached in 2023. Also, think about the setbacks and the challenges you faced. This helps you to identify the things you want to change, and to find out what matters to you most.
What word or phrase best suits you for 2024? If you feel like the year before drained you of energy, you might want to channel this year with the phrase 'renew my strength'. Or if you found that you were overly anxious or worried about everything, you might decide to use the word 'peaceful' to guide you for this year.
Be kind to you
Something that I am frequently guilty of is that I overlook my qualities. Some of us don't give ourselves credit where credit is due. We underplay the praise and love that we are given by others, and we often do not acknowledge the worth and value that we deserve to give to (and to recognise in) ourselves.
It's important to remember who you are and what you are capable of. Respecting yourself and having a good relationship with you is key to your fulfilment in life.
Take the time to care for your mental and physical energy, so you can pursue your dreams with a grounded and well-rested approach. Remind yourself of all that you have achieved so far in your life, and all the lessons you have learnt from. Put that to good use in developing a belief in yourself that will pull you into this fresh chapter of your life, with new intentions and a deeper understanding of what truly makes you happy.
Check-in with yourself
Every few months, re-evaluate where you are at, emotionally as well as physically, and pause for a moment to focus on how comfortable you are with the intentions you have set out for yourself. Our lives naturally ebb and flow, just like the seasons do, and sometimes we may need to reframe our intentions and commit to new plans.
For example, you may decide to change your guiding word/phrase because of a new focus presenting itself. This could be that you may be moving home and location (possibly abroad even), or maybe you are getting married and starting a new life with new priorities. Checking in with yourself from time to time is a healthy way of investing more in yourself, and to aid in your personal growth and development. It allows you to cultivate self-care and to practise what's most important to you.
Align with your visions
Be careful not to overwhelm yourself with the idea that you have to get there fast (wherever 'there' is). Instead, take the time to slowly build on the stepping stones to your visions. Sometimes you may even have to create new habits to get you closer to your dreams.
I won't lie, it can be quite difficult to change old habits for new, but with determination and a real passion to live the life you want, you can create new neural pathways that will connect you with your goals. By this, I mean changing past false thought processes into new and helpful ways of thinking.
A new habit usually takes hold anywhere between 14 and 21 days, depending on what it is. For example, trying to be healthy and to drink more water can take just 14 days to achieve. Whereas, something like trying to stop smoking, or challenging unhelpful thoughts could take up to 21 days to create the new habit.
It's also important to celebrate small wins as you go along, so you can keep yourself motivated and to keep the trust in yourself. Keep praising yourself and reward your efforts with something nice, such as cooking yourself a nice meal, watching your favourite programme, or soaking in a candlelit bath with some peaceful music playing in the background.
Remember, it's not the end of the world if you don't make your dreams happen this year. It's all about the journey. Don't rush your way into the future. Let it unfold gently and with patience. Gradually inch your way forward, learn along the way, grow and develop, and more importantly, enjoy every blissful moment of your new chapter!
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Tanya Tsikkos, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Tanya Tsikkos is an innovative jewellery designer who promotes mental health and wellbeing. COVID-19 left her with emotional challenges, and she found a way to cope and to improve her mental health with her jewellery creations and empowering messages. She has since dedicated her life to helping others to always feel good and empowered . She is the CEO of EntityUK, an online fashion jewellery company, that combines jewellery with empowerment in each design. Her mission: To inspire, uplift and empower all, to live their best lives, with confidence and style!
