As the new year approaches and we look back and reflect on the past year, it can be easy to make a lot of assumptions and affirmations about the changes you want to see in the future. We often tell ourselves we want to be fitter, read more, or have better relationships with the ones we care about most. While these are all noble goals for the new year, it’s important to think about why we want these goals and what the values are behind them that we feel will be sustainable. We often hope that dropping a few pounds or implementing more date nights will be the ultimate cure-all to being happier and more fulfilled. In this episode we want to challenge ourselves, to look more deeply into our values and create lasting habits that will create happiness and fulfillment as a byproduct of those actions.
Finite goals can often be amazing tools to create deadlines and give us clear objectives to shoot for on our path, but the habits and routines that most align with our unique values are the moments when we are most in flow. Working hard, failing, succeeding and ultimately feeling satisfied in all facets of our life is a direct correlation of how closely aligned our actions are with our core values. Before we move forward into 2023 look back and think about the times in our life that we have felt most in flow. These moments will be indicators of habits and moments in our life when we were most fulfilled.
Instilling those similar habits in the new year in different aspects of our life, like health, work, and relationships can be the difference between a cyclical nature of trying and ultimately quitting. There are no set vessels for happiness or fulfillment, but the nature of the actions must align with our values to create lasting fulfillment and happiness in the new year. Look backwards, make a plan and adjust as you feel you are getting off course from what truly matters to you regardless of the activity or the “goal”.