Less is More in the New Year

We tend to focus a lot of energy on what we we want to add to our lives in the new year and very little considering what we would like to let go of. Naturally we set goals around all we want to accomplish, learn or experience but rarely do we take action regarding the habits, attitudes and activities that drain our energy, time and keep us stuck.

I must admit I am guilty of that, I am cognizant of things that suck my time and habits or thinking that do not serve me but I typically do not set out written goals to remove them as I do for the things I want to add to my life.

I think this is a huge oversight. What we chose not to do in our lives is just as important as what we chose to do. In fact, many times it is more significant since the things we continue to do get us the results we continue to want to change.

This year as you make resolutions, set goals and plan for the year ahead include a list of of what you want less of or what you will leave behind altogether to make 2015 your best year ever.

Top 5 Areas That Less Means More in the New Year

1. Cull Your To Do List What things are you doing on a regular basis that you do not want to do anymore? I stopped grocery shopping, heavy cleaning and most cooking when I started my own business a few years ago. Twenty- eight years of doing that for my family was quite enough thank you and taking that off my list freed up a lot of time to write, work and study. If you look closely there are likely many things you do not like or need to do or may not be necessary to do yourself. What can you stop doing entirely , lessen the frequency of or delegate? By the way, this is the best way to make time for the things you really want to do.
2. Attitude Check What thinking are you holding onto that is holding you back? We all get stuck in negative thinking or victim mode from time to time and often do not realize how it zaps our energy and undermines our mood. What are your negative thoughts saying to you and how can you start arguing back to have a bit less of that in 2015? Are you self criticizing, complaining about your job, resenting your partner? Maybe you have had a long held belief that really does not serve you well. How might your life be different without that? Take steps to let the thinking go and replace it with a better attitude that honors your best self.
3. Love It or Leave It If a better attitude is not enough consider if there are some things or people in your life that would be best left behind this year. It can be difficult to let relationships go or to change jobs for instance but it is more difficult still to live your best life invested in things you do not love or do not love you back. If you are not spending your time invested in things that are important and positive for you you will find yourself spending most of your time unhappy and unfulfilled. Obligations are valuable but your first obligation is you. We can all  do well to diminish the people and things that are bringing us down.
4. Stress and Worry  How about less stress in 2015 as a worthy goal? There are many proven methods to reduce stress yet it remains a top problem for most Americans especially women. If you listen to a group of us sometimes I wonder if there isn’t a secret competition to see who has the most to do and complain about. We can get attached to this for sure, chose to quit this race instead and implement a plan that releases stress and worry by adopting a realistic lifestyle and regular peace and balance enhancing activities such as daily exercise, meditation and fun.
5. Walls We all have them whether we are aware of them or not. These are the ways we protect ourselves from being hurt in all areas of our lives. Fear of being rejected or failing motivates us to build a protective layer that we think keeps us safe but in fact insulates us from real success, happiness and love. It is one of the saddest aspects of our humanity that we will forgo the experience of something incredible because there is a risk of pain. Most of us can let down our walls with certain people or in some situations and be truly free to experience life fully and be completely ourselves but when we are honest we know that this is difficult to do or that we could do it better and more often. This year consider that protecting yourself is just not necessary anymore, that you are free to experience fully and be all that you are and that regardless the reaction or outcome you may get as a result you will be fine. Something to work towards that has untold rewards.