Hit the Reset Button
Do you believe in New Year’s resolutions? I‘m not sure I do but I definitely believe that from time to time you need to hit the reset button and that’s what I’m doing this January.
Why reset? When I took stock of 2022, I found lots to celebrate and appreciate, especially after two years of COVID. But I also felt that I was still in some kind of COVID holding pattern. I was miffed that another year had passed so quickly and worried that I had little to show for it. In 2023, I’m determined to not sleepwalk through another year.
Taking a lesson or two from James Cleary’s Atomic Habits - I plan to focus on small changes and better processes, adding the right amount of novelty to keep me energised and learning to steer clear of momentum killers.
The good news about being in your 50s is that you're old enough to say ‘It’s now or never’ and young enough to enjoy the benefits of any positive changes you make.
So, if you’re feeling like me - that time is passing too quickly and you want to push yourself a little more and at the same time learn how to enjoy the moment - this newsletter is for you.
In our inaugural issue, I’m sharing the three new habits I’ll be using to sharpen my memory, become more observant and keep physically fit and ready to take on any challenges that come my way.
My favourite newsletters are short, fun to read and filled with great recommendations and inspirations. And that’s what I hope to deliver. Please have a read and send me your thoughts and suggestions for future editions.
NEW HABITS FOR 2023
WRITE
In my determination to not sleep through another year so I bought a One Line a Day journal to keep track of the days.
I admire people who are able to maintain a diary. Unfortunately, I am not one of them so by setting a low bar, of one line a day, I hope to set myself up for success.
Why does journalling matter? Sophie McBain says it better than I can in her New Statement article ‘How Keeping a One-line-a-day Diary Gives Life Shape and Meaning’ “Unrecorded, so much of our past disappears beyond reach. But keeping a diary makes even the most mundane day feel precious.”
OBSERVE
I discovered Chloe Briggs’ Drawing is Free Monday morning, drawing sessions during lockdown and it’s been a game changer.
The idea is simple - one music track, one pose, one drawing. The sessions take place online each Monday and offer a chance to draw a portrait, without pressure or judgement.
There’s an intensity and an intimacy to the sessions where people from all different time zones come together, for one short hour, to draw each other.
I find that I have to concentrate so hard, all my worries fly out of my head. And I find drawing drawing helps me stop and look at the world with fresh eyes, noticing little details that I’d skimmed over.
STRENGTHEN
I’ve always been pretty good at exercising but I tend to do more cardio (dance and tennis in particular) and neglect strength training.
As I get older, I know I need to change this. The research is clear that people who do strength training live longer and tend to be more mentally and emotionally robust.
Keeping with the theme of small changes and better processes - I’ll be trying this 9-minute strength workout from the New York Times.
