At the end of each year, Jenna always made lengthy lists of New Year’s resolutions. She wanted to improve her life but come February, she would abandon her list and promise that she would get around to her resolutions later. This created a cycle of guilt and shame that followed her year after year.
Finally, Jenna shared her frustrations with her neighbor, Renee. That’s when Renee shared that she doesn’t use resolutions because they can be exhausting and overwhelming. “Instead I pick a theme for each year,” Renee explained, “A theme is all about embracing joy and being more intentional with each year of your life.”
Renee isn’t the only that prefers to choose a theme for the upcoming year. So do these smart women…
The Year of Creativity
Rebecca had a good job that she enjoyed. But she wasn’t feeling fulfilled and she didn’t know why. She was thinking of switching careers when she went to stay with one of her girlfriends for a weekend. While there, she helped her girlfriend, a single mom, with some quick and creative renovations.
That’s when she realized her life had been missing creativity. It wasn’t that she wanted a different job—she just wanted more imagination in her life. Each month, she picked a hobby that allowed her the space to create.
The Year of Yes
Shonda Rhimes didn’t realize she’d been stuck in her ways until a relative asked her to do something fun. When she declined, she was told that she spent most of her time saying ‘no’ to opportunities.
The conversation opened her eyes and she decided to open herself to more possibilities. This sparked what she now calls her “Year of Yes”. She even wrote a book about the experience and you can find it here.
The Year of Self-Care
Delaney had spent years putting herself on the back burner. It took a serious health scare in December to make her take a hard look at her priorities. She knew she had to make a change.
So, she decided that her theme for the upcoming year would be self-care. She hired a counselor to help her tackle her emotional eating. With the help of a friend, she updated her wardrobe so she felt confident about her appearance.
There are so many different ways to set a theme for the New Year. Your theme could be about what you want to add (like creativity) or what you want to remove (like stress or emotional eating). Remember, there’s no right or wrong theme. Pick one that speaks to you and lean into it!
CTA: Are you truly happy with your life? Find out when you download your free workbook!