This will change the way you look at 2017
Most of you are probably sitting back down at your desk this week after some time off to celebrate with friends and family. At this point you’re probably feeling or thinking a range of different things:
- Oh god, what am I doing here?
- Great to be back!
- Why does my belt suddenly seem so tight?
- Let’s do this!
- I need a drink…
- Time for some planning so I can nail my goals in 2017
It’s natural for so many thoughts — we’re at the start of a new year. Psychologically it makes us feel like anything is possible; the slate has been wiped clean, the blank canvas is ready to be painted into the masterpiece we see in our minds.
The fact there’s more positive energy right now is awesome. You can feel it as you walk around (for O/S audiences bear in mind that in Sydney it’s around 27 degrees Celsius / 80 Fahrenheit each day) and see it on people’s faces as they commute to work.
Positivity is great because it opens your mind — it creates a space for you where anything is possible, where this year will be the year everything changes…
Until you hit the end of Jan, then February and March. As the months slip by that positivity fades. You slip back into the chaos of everyday life. Worry, stress and deadlines all become the centre of your universe and you become more susceptible to negative thoughts.
But why does that have to be the case? Is there some mysterious force out there we just can’t avoid? Is it the way of society, that we do it in order to fit in. Do we have no control over what happens so we just need to go with it?
It doesn’t have to be this way…
Why is it that we allow ourselves to start on a high in January and then be begging for the year to end in December so we can start it all again?
I’ve noticed a heap of bulls*** articles that have come out in the last few weeks featuring lists that promise to change your life in 2017. A point I’ve made previously is that if you want to change your life, you can. It’s up to you. You can make your 2017 what you want it to be. Better still, you can make your life what you want it to be.
Stop complaining when stuff doesn’t happen for you because you’ve done nothing about it
All of it comes down to your mindset. How you perceive things, how you think about them and what you do next. Flipping it from “oh, it’s all so unfair” to “cool, I’ve learned a bunch of stuff, now let’s try again and nail this”.
And that mindset is fuelled by positivity. Gary Vaynerchuk is a great inspiration for anyone wanting to be a better version of themselves. He suffocates negative energy and excuses. Instead, he focuses on the positive; with an open mind he can do whatever he wants with an absolute focus on great execution. Because when you’re powered by positive thought, the world truly is yours.
His message is clear: stop complaining when stuff doesn’t happen for you because you’ve done nothing about it. Stay positive, learn from your mistakes and work hard. Check out his 2017 manifesto:
So what does that mean for me?
Positive change can be long-lasting. It just takes practice. The problem is we live in an impatient world, one of instant gratification where even that’s not fast enough.
When we’re used to getting what we want when we want, it’s easy to understand why people get frustrated when they can’t master a task without actually having to put in some form of effort… even when it comes to the things that can change our lives for the better.
But like I’ve said, we have the power to make good things happen. So rather than being boring and predictable in 2017 and forgetting your resolution before January is out, start by changing something in you that will transform the way you live for years to come.
The problem is we live in an impatient world, one of instant gratification where even that’s not fast enough.
What’s that something? Your mindset. It will open up a world of possibility in all aspects of your life. From work to relationships and more. And the best part is that through practice, you’ll create positive and sustainable impact on the way you live.
Step by step, brick by brick
It starts with grabbing hold of the positive and not letting go. Become like teflon for negative emotion. Whenever you feel a negative thought or revert to the way you’ve always done something, be aware of it. Observation and awareness of your own behaviour is incredibly powerful — with understanding you can then work on correcting something you don’t like or want to do again.
And remember as I’ve said, this stuff takes time. It means you need to chip away at your habits to create lasting change. A great book for this is Joe Dispenza’s ‘Breaking the Habit of Yourself’ — each turn of the page will show you that this is all possible. Another is Carol Dweck’s Mindset. Both will make an impact on you.
[caption id=”attachment_69" align=”aligncenter” width=”400"]
Quote: Joe Dispenza | Source: Pinterest[/caption]
The other piece to remember is not to be harsh on yourself. If you find that you’ve slipped into a negative way of thinking that’s totally ok. We are human and it happens. The important piece is not to punish that behaviour. Instead, observe and acknowledge, then learn from it. Understand how it happened and then put in place small steps aimed at preventing it from happening again. As they say, try try again.
This is a big journey. But that’s the cool thing — it is a journey. It’s not about just getting to the destination as fast as possible. That’s boring.
So instead of looking at lists that promise you the world, start by working on the foundations that will enable you to achieve whatever you want. You won’t regret it and will reach December thinking, what a great year that was!
If you have any tips that can help to create a positive mindset, would love for you to share them below. If you like what you read it would be awesome to hit the thumbs up or share it — I’d really appreciate it!
