Let go of who you think you NEED to be and JUST BE who you are!

A new year a new you?? To some it may feel like there is incredible pressure to change who they are as we enter a new year. How often are we led to believe that we should leave behind the old and strip ourselves of all that is wrong with us to become someone totally new and better? That can be very dangerous for many people in regards to their overall wellbeing, and can create a whole bunch of unnecessary anxiety. I would like to challenge the mentality of needing to shed the old and bring in all things new. Reducing the pressure on yourself to embrace who you are. Take advantage of the time of year to continue to work on some existing goals, set priorities to help you to work towards achieving those goals or start on a new branch of an existing path. It can also be a great time of reflection on what you are grateful for over the past year. Explore what went well for you. What were your successes and where did you have some challenges or struggles. If you were working towards a goal and came upon an obstacle; do some creative problem solving about ways to do things differently or expand on what you started. There is absolutely no need to erase the interesting and promising things you began just because they may not have been exactly right. This can lead to feelings of being overwhelmed and all of the threads of unfinished business can actually create a splintered effect in the background of your mind. All of the unfinished tasks or the start of great ideas that never came to fruition can cause negative feelings towards yourself. Shift your thinking to embrace yourself and what you already have, while working towards increasing your insight into what you have already started. Shift your thinking from the need to find a new you to continuing your fabulous journey. Get curious and dig in deeper to some of the thoughts, ideas and dreams that you already have! Keep a journal to really be able to discover your progress and opportunities that are hidden in each new day.

By Paula Williams-Iverson