Sometimes starting something new is scary - like a new year.
You’re not sure if you’ve learned anything from your past experiences because you know that every day will present a new type of challenge. You’re already telling yourself “Every year, I say I’m going to be better. I’m going to be different. Yet, here I am, at the start of a new year, feeling like I’m starting from square one.”
You’re right. You are starting from square one.
Think of it like flipping houses. You might know how to do every repair in the book, but every house has a different blueprint, and surprises will come with every new floor plan. You might walk in thinking “I already know there are problems in this room, that room, etc. Don’t worry though, I’ve fixed these kinds of things a million times before.”
Your journey throughout every year works the same way. You already know your schedule, your workout routine, your habits, etc. But, even though you’ve done all these things before, you know that this next year will bring forth all kinds of unexpected events that will shake up your sense of normal.
You’ve got this, though.
You might not flip your life in a year like you flip a house. Heck, you might not even be looking to make tons of life-flipping changes. The cool thing is, you’re not alone. Only you know your limits, but the support system around you knows your potential. Your support system wants to see you succeed.
So use that as the fuel for your expectations. Know that you might get scared or stressed as life events come up, and that those around you will sometimes believe in you more than you’ll believe in yourself, and that’s okay. The important thing is to listen to those you love, and reach for the stars.
Because when you finally achieve all the things on your New Year’s resolution list, and soar past the stars, you won’t be celebrating alone. You’ll have people to hug, and to thank. You’ll be able to speak on your experiences with their support to help them chase their dreams. You will be the one giving the pep talk, not reading it.
You have to grow. There is no alternative. Let 2018 be the year of opportunity.