How to Make a Better You – Entering 2021 with a Fresh Start

I know so many of us are ready to say “Goodbye” to 2020. There is not one person in the world that was not affected by Covid-19 in one way or another.

Unfortunately, just because 2020 is ending, does not mean it will be then end to all our trials and hardships. Therefore, we need to make a fresh start through changing our focus, thoughts, perspective, and how we cope with situations surrounding us.

Getting caught up in the media, complaining, feeling sad, and focusing on the negative does not add any value to your life. In fact, it does just the opposite and brings more frustration, sadness, and pain. Is that how you want to live your life? Now is the time to make changes to bring peace, joy, and fulfillment in your life.

Six days ago, I began a ‘7-minute with God challenge’ on our Focus on Freedoms Facebook Groups Page. It has helped me stay focused on my goal of spending time with God and the reminder that the more time you spend with God, the more peace you receive in your life. Peace does not mean trials are gone, but it does help with the process of going through the trials.

Even though I started six days ago, does not mean you cannot join me as of today. You can start anytime in your life to make small changes to improve your life, by adding things that truly matter and give value. Small changes lead to big results over time.

Changes do not come easy to us. As you probably know, and more likely have done yourself, you begin the New Year with all these goals and promises to yourself. Goals like: eating healthier, spending time daily with God, exercising every day for 20 minutes, reading books you planned to read last year, etc. You start this journey with such enthusiasm. However, usually in a month or less, you fall back to your old patterns of behavior and use excuses of why you are not doing the changes you intended. Trust me, I know from my own experiences each year.

That is why I started the '7-minute with God challenge'. I knew if I had others to hold me accountable to spend time with God, I am more likely to follow through. Moreover, knowing that I have others who will read my insight and benefit from what God is sharing with me, gives me indescribable peace and contentment.

We all have a list of goals, but if we try to do them all at once they become overwhelming and in the end we do not make any changes because it becomes too much. We have what healthy life coaches call a critter brain; our critter brain does not like changes. Fear of change holds us back from moving forward. Therefore, instead of looking at everything you want to change this year, start small and then slowly add the things you want to change.

Here is how to enter 2021 with a fresh start:

1) Let go of all the hurts, disappointments, and frustrations of 2020 – do this by writing them down and then visually letting them go by throwing the piece of paper with the list into the garbage, ripping it up, or burning it (just be careful to do that in a safe place). You will be amazed of the relief you feel by letting them go. This process may need to be repeated as often as those hurts and pains show back up.

2) Look forward to the changes you plan to make in 2020 – do this by listing what you like to add to your life, what are your goals? Try to limit the number of changes you want to make to your top five.

3) Start small – do this by prioritizing your list and then begin to look at your first one. For example, I wanted to spend time with God daily and make it a priority. I took the initiative to do the '7-minute challenge' and have already made it to day six and the New Year has not even started yet. You do not have to wait for a New Year to make changes, you can do it now, but you have to be motivated and ready.

4) Make room for the new changes and make the way for the changes to become successful. If you are holding on to your old pattern of behavior, there is no room for new ones, so first be aware of the behavior that has to go, next let go of that behavior, and then slowly implement the new one. For example, in order for me to have time to spend 7-minutes with God, I had to adjust my day to make it work. For me, I decided not to immediately jump out of bed to go and read my e-mail or texts. I made room in the morning to read the daily devotional, pray, and meditate on what I read to apply to my day. I chose to do this before getting out of bed, which meant adjusting what time I go to bed and what time I get up.

5) Lastly, it helps to have someone to be accountable to help you stay on track with the goals and changes you want to make. This can be someone who comes alongside to motivate and encourage you. As a healthy life coach that is my role, to be your accountability partner, supporter, motivator, and cheerleader.

Make 2021 your fresh start and the year you succeed with the changes you want.

Give yourself a fresh start to the New Year by contacting me today for a Complimentary Breakthrough Session. You will be amazed at the New You!

Have the Best New Year Ever! May this be the year that you succeed in making changes in your life in order to be the person you truly want to be.