Its finally a new year, woohoo! I’m sure you are excited to start a fresh year with some fresh goals and a fresh mindset. Most people are, I know I am! Man was last year a crazy year for me. I am thrilled to be starting this year not pregnant lol and with a clear focus on what we want. Have you gotten a clear focus yet? If not make sure and check out my post about setting goals for the year I broke it down for you and made it simple! Anyways, becoming a better version of yourself for the year isn’t hard maybe you just need some direction on where to start, that is what I am here for. Personally, I always start everything on the 2nd of the year. January first is a day to reflect, enjoy and take in all the new opportunity in store and then waking up on the second is go time. I plan it this way though, I don’t decide I’ll start tomorrow, I knowingly have it etched in my brain January 2nd is the day to begin implementing all the new stuff (hint why I am posting this today).
First thing to better yourself in the new year is make your bed in the morning. Have you ever seen the speech about making
your bed? Making your bed every morning is a sure-fire way to at least get one thing accomplished for the day. Let’s say you just have one of “those days” and nothing at all goes right and absolutely nothing you wanted to get done happens. When you get home to a made bed you did in fact get something accomplished, you made your bed this morning. Remember when your mom would come check to see if you made your bed before school? Was that just my mom lol? Coming home to a nicely made bed presents itself to you in a much more inviting way. Have you ever gotten upset when you come back to your hotel room to find room service didn’t come by yet? Just think, you’ve had your awful day. You come home kick your shoes off and ahh, a nicely made bed to plop into. All you gotta do is pull the sheets back and sink in. So first make your bed in the morning!
Second thing to better yourself in the new year is do an act of kindness once a day. Many people want to do something to impact the world and make it a better place. You don’t have to do some big grand expensive gesture to make an impact. It can be something as simple as holding the door open for someone, or letting a person get over with their blinker on. How many times do people just pull up when you have your blinker on and not let you in? Doesn’t it just get under your skin?! Ah, don’t be that person and let the blinker guy in. Easy act of kindness. I always try to compliment people out on something or tell a stranger “I hope you have a fantastic day from here out”. You never know how good or bad someone’s day is going, you could be the person to completely change their day, maybe even save a life by simply giving a complement or saying hello. I’ll never forget one evening I was walking in Clarendon, Virginia and an old man I heard whimper “excuse me mam. Hello”. I wanted to ignore him thinking it was just another beggar on the street by the way he looked but I immediately felt guilty thinking that, so I asked what he needed. All he wanted was someone to help him take his grocery bags to the front of the grocery store. His health was clearly bad, and he was on crutches trying to carry a bunch of bags to the store. I took his things to the front of the store for him (a mere 20 yards) and asked if there was anything else he needed. He just smiled and said “nope you just made my evening. I’m not getting around to fast and all I needed was a helping hand.” Talk about a gratifying moment! When you are feeling really giving one day grab the guys coffee behind you or bring some donuts to the office. Just paying it forward and doing small random acts of kindness can go a long way for you and even further for the person you are doing it for. When you are doing any act of kindness with your children around, they are watching and observing as well.
Third is be present in the moment. Today people coward behind their phones to avoid talking to anyone, even their friends! Next time you are out look around at the groups of people and see how many are on their phones. So many people in today’s age are dangerously addicted to their smart phone. The average person checks their phone every 30 seconds. Addiction. Ever been out to dinner with someone who wouldn’t stay off their phone? How annoyed were you? Or maybe you have been talking to someone and they check their phone clearly not giving you their full attention. Doesn’t it just eat at you?! Don’t be THAT person. Especially with your kids around. They are watching and learning from everything you do. I try my best to be 100% present when playing with Michael. I’ll leave my phone in the other room sometimes because my goal and my focus are to play and be with him. I can’t relive these moments ever again. They fly by so fast I don’t want to miss any of it for some unrelatable post I’m scrolling by. Be present in the moments when you are out at events or at dinner or hanging with people. It isn’t necessary to capture every single second on your social media. Seriously. Grab a couple shots or vids and be done. Savor and cherish the moments of a perfect concert or a fantastic dinner with friends. Take a picture to look back on it and that’s all you’ll need. Promise! Be present.
These three simple tips will help make you a better person in the new year. Make your bed, do a daily act of kindness and be present. Not only will you feel better about yourself, people around you will start to enjoy your presence even more because you’re feeling good and will always be the person that is not on their phone. Don’t lose sight of what these simple acts can do for you as silly as you may think they are. Their impact can have a huge effect. Make your bed and get out there! As always beautiful, cheers!