 This is the time for New Year’s Resolutions. And next week we will have forgotten all about them (or is it just me?) I’m not against resolutions, per se. There is nothing quite like a new beginning to inspire change in your life. However, I have found that I’m not so good at keeping resolutions. Often times we make them too specific or too grandiose, and in the end, we give up on them. We focus on outcomes instead of action,
There are many alternatives to the resolution. As a matter of fact, you can always try a couple to see which works best for you. Just keep them simple and focused so you don’t overwhelm yourself into failure. 1. In January, I am starting another bookclub/workshop session on my book 90 Days to Holistic Wellness. The book walks you through making 1 small change each week for 12 weeks. The changes are small and manageable and cover many different aspects of Body, Mind, Heart and Soul. After 3 months, you’ve made many improvements to your lifestyle on which to build upon. If you aren’t close enough to join the group, simply work through it on your own. That was the actual intention of the book anyway. You can get a copy HERE. 2. Word of the Year. Choose one over-arching word to inspire you and keep you marching in the right direction. The word can be anything that has meaning to you or that you want more of in your life, such as: Compassion, Love, Self-Love, Abundance, Passion, Creativity, Acceptance, Strength, Hope, Health, Family, Friendship, Mindfulness. Choose a word that resonates with you. Then, journal about it, meditate on it, write it on a postit and put it on your frige…and let it inspire and lead you all year long. 3. Set weekly mini goals, based on balancing your Body, Mind, Heart and Soul. Decide each week what you want to accomplish that week, to feed these aspects of self. I use my bullet journal to keep track of these. 4. Pick up a copy of Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Happiness Project”. It's filled with great ideas and inspiration for creating a better version of yourself throughout the entire year. You can get a copy HERE. 5. Make a list of your top 5 life priorities. Post them on your refrigerator, write them in your calendar and make a point every day of prioritizing these things. When you give them your attention over time wasters like TV, FaceBook or whatever else tends to steal your time, you will see positive change in your life. The concept of a New Year’s resolution is simply to identify a priority and set a goal toward it. What ways do you have of identifying your priorities and making sure you meet them? Feel free to share in the comments. Happy New Year – may 2017 be wonderful! Tracy
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  It’s that time…when I like to take a few moments to ponder the previous year.
What went right in 2016? So much! Simplification has been a key theme for me in 2016. I continue to fight the battle against stuff, finding inspiration in minimalist blogs and podcasts. I have no intention of living in a sparse, tiny house. However, I find that when I am more intentional about the stuff I allow in my home, I end up living in a home that is truly me, rather than in a space full of stuff. My daughter started her Senior year of high school, got her license and started her college search. If this isn’t a growth opportunity for mom, I don’t know what is. The idea of my baby becoming an adult and leaving the nest is crazy to me and brings about so many emotions! Happiness, sadness, pride, fear, etc etc. Thank god for time in meditation to sort it all out! My business is growing and changing as an idea took on a life of its own! After a few conversations with a new acquaintance, the universe shoved us along until we partnered up and opened Holistic Hub. HH offers yoga, meditation, nutrition/wellness coaching, wellness and creative classes and more. It’s been (and still is) a whirlwind ride and I am so excited to be a part of it! And, I am so grateful that I have a loving husband that has been supportive and understanding about it all. I have reconnected with my favorite hobby. I always loved to read, but as life gets busy, reading was one of the easiest things to let go. I did still read, but not as much as I would have liked. Then I stumbled upon a podcast that inspired me to head to the library and grab a book! Since finding “What Should I Read Next” in June, I have read so many books I can hardly believe it. And not because I cleared my schedule and suddenly had nothing else to do. I simply made it one of my priorities…and that is all it took! You find time for what you prioritize. (“Instead of saying ”I don’t have time” try saying “it’s not a priority,” and see how that feels.” – Laura Vanderkam) I started a bullet journal, which I have found to be a great tool for scheduling, planning and keeping track of things (like books to read). This tool has a lot more potential, which I hope to harness in 2017. What went wrong? Luckily nothing too big! Relationships, sigh. I'm not the best at making time to nurture relationships. I had told myself I was going to be more intentional about reaching out and connecting with friends and family in 2016. I did not do as well as I had hoped. As a matter of fact, I almost failed. Not to say I didn't connect with friends at all...I did. And I did have lots of fun in 2016. But in the end, I didn't make the soulful, personal connections I had hoped for because I didn't truly make it a priority. I may have made time for reading, but another passion that I have been ignoring is writing. I had intended to spend more time writing in 2016, even if it was simply writing thoughts in a journal. I didn't write even a fraction of what I had hoped to. A new year brings new opportunities to grow and expand, I can't wait to learn what 2017 has in store for us. But before it gets here, I highly recommend that you spend just a few moments contemplating 2016. Then, thank it for all the lessons it offered, and set your sights on 2017. Here's to 2017! May it be the best year we've experienced so far!! ~ Namaste ~ Tracy  A few months ago I stumbled upon a wonderful podcast…about books. While it might not sound like the most interesting topic, the first episode I listened to had me hooked. The discussion was great and I finished the episode with a post-it note list of 3 books that I wanted to read. The next episode left me with a couple more and after listening to the entire archive I have added almost 100 books to the list. Listening to these episodes helped me rediscovered my love for reading. I used to read all the time, but I had reached a point in my busy life in which I was not prioritizing reading. Have you experienced this? Finding yourself so busy you don’t make time for something you love? If you know someone that is passionate about something, you know that they will prioritize it and find time in their busy calendar to fit it in. So, I started to do the same with reading. I would carry a book with me to read any time I had a moment. I started listening to audio books and using my kindle. Often I find myself reading 3 books at once (one paper, one kindle, one audio). While I’m still busy (I work full time, run my own business and have a family & home), I have managed to read over 40 books in the last 6 months! This time of year we are especially busy. Holidays can really over extend our to-do lists, but I urge you to make time for yourself and things you enjoy. Prioritize what you love, what you enjoy, what makes you happy. If you make something your priority, you will find the time for it! Oh, and that podcast? Modern Mrs Darcy's What Should I Read Next….give it a listen and make time for something you enjoy this holiday season! Tracy  |
AuthorTracy Martorana is a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant, Meditation Instructor and Herbalist...hoping to inspire you to live your life from a place of Holistic Wellness. Archives
February 2017
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