It’s the start of a brand new year and the excitement levels are off the charts, but research shows that by about January 13th our enthusiasm starts to wane. Now we can accept that fact and just go through the motions until the next surge of New Year’s energy comes about or we can proactively take steps to revive and renew our passion and optimism for 2017.
Our first step to breathing new life back into our eagerness for 2017 is to actually stop and APPRECIATE all that happened in 2016. Take some time this week to reflect back on all the been throughs, break throughs and still going throughs. What lessons did they teach you that you can bring into the New Year with you? How did they help you become a better version of yourself? What blessings did they help you notice in your life? Also spend some time showing appreciation to those who encouraged you, listened to you and did life with you.
After you appreciate, then you get to ANTICIPATE. This year is full of possibilities and limitless joy. What do you want to see happen? Who do you want to become? Dream it, visualize it and plan for it. Create milestones that you can work towards. Plan out upcoming adventures or fun events that excite you. Build in opportunities for refreshment, renewal and restoration. Plant seeds of hope by focusing on what you do have and all that you can do.
The last way to motivate yourself beyond the first few weeks in January is to begin to take action to ACHIEVE. You cannot just dream your way into become a better version of yourself, you must take action. Think about the small steps you can take today to create the life you want. Remember this truth by Hal Elrod, “now matters more than any other time in your life because it’s what you are doing today that is determining who you’re becoming and who you’re becoming will always determine the quality and direction of your life.”
Don’t let your enthusiasm slip way. Today practice these three “A’s” and watch your enthusiasm overflow throughout the year.
