Dear 2023, let's do this!

by Tash Davis January 3, 2023

How many times have you set a NY resolution, only to either a) forget what it was on new years day, or b) fallen way short of the mark. Want to know why it’s not working??? You’re not committed to it, you’re using the wrong language with yourself, and you aren’t setting any baby goals to help reach the bigger one.

Well, this year is your year, and I’m here to help you.

I’ve done a LOT of self-development in the past 2 years, a lot of evidence-based research (hello, nurse speaking), time with a psychologist, time with a PT, time with business mentors, and time listening to quality podcasts. So although I’m not perfect, I’ve got some good ideas about what works and what doesn’t, from people in the know.

First of all, you need to pick a THEME for 2023. It’s essentially something that you want focus on in 2023 that is going to enrich your life. It’s the over-arching aspiration that will help you to make decisions and plan your life around, in order to achieve a sense of self-improvement. You might have heard the idea of “setting your intentions”, well this is essentially one giant intention you’ll set, to keep you focused as you head down the notoriously rocky road of self-development this year.

Confused? Let me share my theme for 2022 – CREATE. Both my kids had their tonsils, adenoids and grommets done in January 2022, and while they were curled up on the couch watching the wiggles, I bought myself some watercolour pencils and started to draw. I realised how much I love drawing and creating pretty things! It gave me peace, and flow, and something to work my brain in a lateral way. So, CREATE became my 2022 theme. Did I achieved it? Well, alongside my amazing creative designer Crystal Oliver, I created a whole new brand for Pebbly Path – 4 gorgeous packaging designs were rolled out, along with a new logo, a website refresh, some new typography etc. I spent a lot of time designing digital templates, branding merchandise, and spent a huge chunk of my life using Canva to create all kinds of things from work stuff, to kids invitations, and family chore charts…. I created a magnificent Gruffalo cake for Mr. 4. I also created a team – 3 gorgeous women in Mudgee who needed flexible work hours and flexibility with their young families, and they’ve helped me create a successful business. Then, for Christmas I pulled my big girl panties up and asked Santa for a huge gift – an iPad Pro, so I can continue my love of CREATING with all the exciting creativity + art apps I can get on it. Thanks Santa!

THIS YEAR: BALANCE. No, I don’t fall over a lot – this is about balancing work and family time, balancing time for myself with time for others, balancing my external health with my internal health, and so on.

WHAT NEXT: The next step is setting small, achievable goals to achieve BALANCE (or whatever you’re theme is going to be). You can set daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly goals, which help to track your progress, see where you’re falling short, and see where things are really working – not forgetting to celebrate all the small wins along the way!!!!!!

THE HOW: HABITS. Habit forming is the best way to achieve these things – start really small and work up to what you want. To make this super simple, and super effective, I’ve included a free printable habit tracker. It’s so simple, print it off, fill in the blanks, and stick it on your wall (maybe your bathroom door, inside the pantry, on the fridge, in the office). Don’t go overboard – if you want to be practising 1 hour of yoga every day by 2024, you don’t try to do that every single day this month. Most of us will fail at perfection, and that leads to giving up, and that’s how resolutions flop. This month, start with 10mins every day. Mark it on the tracker. This works because it keeps you committed to the cause by seeing it every single day, then it holds you accountable because it’s so obvious if you’re hitting the mark or not.

Got another goal? Print another habit tracker.

The key here is to remind yourself that PROGRESS is better than PERFECTION. If you miss a day, if you didn’t get the full amount of time in, whatever it is, if you’re IMPROVING that’s all that matters. For example, my first habit tracker will state 5 minutes every single day of either meditation or yoga, and as that habit forms, I’ll increase to 5 minutes every day of EACH yoga and meditation, and so on. If you started January 2023 doing NO meditation, and now you’re achieving 5 minutes every second day, that’s fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I’ll say it again, progress, not perfection.

If you need any help with setting up your habits and mini goals, please reach out to me. I would genuinely LOVE to help you on your rocky road to self-improvement, lord knows I have had a lot of help and it’s great to pay it forward. Plus, when we do things together, we feel a greater sense of connection and community and I’m so here for it.

You can reach me anytime via email, or DM me on Instagram 😊 I would LOVE to see your habit trackers displayed, and it might help a friend to see it too, so tag me on socials where I can cheer you on!!!!!

Good luck you extraordinary human, you can totally do this!!!