How are you? I hope you’re easing yourself in 2024 after the festive break.
It’s always a bit of a strange time of year this - especially as a self-employed person. So my first newsletter of the year is about how we can approach January with self-kindness at our core.
Last week I ran a poll on Instagram asking:
⭐️ Have you set a New Years Resolution this year?
⭐️ What are you leaving in 2023?
⭐️ What are you bringing into 2024?
Photo by Emily Joan
The answers and conversations I had from these prompts were really insightful and I always appreciate your responses to my posts and newsletters, so please do keep them coming!
Here are some of the results I received from the poll.
I was surprised that only 14% of those who voted had set a New Years Resolution this year. From the chats I had in my DM’s, this mostly seems down to feeling a bit unstable at the moment, and not being ready to challenge ourselves.
People are also opting for a Word of the Year instead which I love - I’m still choosing mine and may end up with two or three…if you’ve already found yours, I’d love to hear it!
In response to the next questions I asked…
What we’re leaving behind in 2023:
Hustle culture
Imposter syndrome
Brain clutter
Comparisonitis
Perfectionism
Failure
Limiting beliefs
Scarcity mindset
All the shit! (I particularly love this one)
What we’re bringing into 2024:
Trust in myself and my strengths
My whole self
Simplicity
Keeping myself healthy whilst looking after others
Play
Peace
Prosperity
From these answers, it seems like we’re all rather in sync. Looking to simplify our lives, prioritise our health and protect our happiness. We’re letting go of overworking and comparing ourselves, and focusing on feeling aligned and strong.
Many of you also told me you are opting for a Word of the Year instead of a resolution and I think this is a brilliant idea, so I asked my WILD Coworking Community what their words were as I was pretty sure it would be something they'd be keen on - and I was right!
Here are the beautiful words that these fab women have chosen to guide them through 2024:
Perservere
Nurture
Become
Release - with Revival being their word for the quarter.
Capable
Leap
Allow
Awesome
Less
Play
Bridget chose 3 - Thrive, Connect & Play
Grounded
Innocence
Slow
I hadn’t considered having words for smaller portions of the year, but it makes so much sense to work with the seasons like this.
I’m so grateful to everyone who took part in this poll and offered an insight into how the first week of the year is going.
Mine was a little dramatic with a visit to A&E with my Mum on the morning of the first day of the year! We brought her home on Friday and she’s already doing much better but it reminded me that January 1st is just like any other day.
The contrast between societal expectations to start afresh as soon as the New Year arrives and nature telling us to hibernate can feel quite overwhelming. Our brain might want to get going, but our body doesn’t - or the other way around - and it’s hard to know which to listen to.
I’m sorry to say I don’t have the answer, but I can tell you this…
It may be 2024, but I’m the same person I was a few days ago in 2023. I grow, I learn and I adjust as all humans do, but this happens over weeks, months, years, maybe a lifetime.
Some final thoughts from me:
We can’t expect overnight change to be sustainable and while a New Years Resolution, or Word of the Year can help us to stay accountable and on track to reach our goals, I’m hesitant to rush into it.
I’m still mulling over 2023, reflecting on the wins, challenges and lessons in a year where self-discovery was holding me tight.
If you’ve also been feeling a little weird this week. Like you should already have your shit together, here’s your permission to let it go.
It’s OK to have a slow start to the year
It’s OK to take your time to consider what you want in 2024
It’s OK for your goals to be the same as last year
And it’s totally OK for them to change and develop throughout the year
We’re human, we’re complex, we’re emotional and owning a business often makes this even more apparent.
Our Neurodivergence or chronic health issues can also bring an extra layer of contemplation into the mix and we must recognise this.
Thank you for reading the blog for 2024 - I'm very happy to be back. It’s been a pleasure to reconnect with you all.
Best wishes
Celie
🌻
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