Happy New Year!! Happy 10th Day of Christmas 🎄 ...??

Well, Winter's Solstice, Christmas, Kwanzaa, the New Year's and even Hanukkah have come and gone. 

 Do you know what's still going strong though?  The 12 Days of Christmas!  So if you celebrate or slightly observe these days, then Happy 10th Day to you!  If I can, I'll check to see if this day is associated with anything in particular. (Update:  It isn't. 😁)

If you're like me and thought that the 12 Days of Christmas were before 12/25, then you may wish to have a look at this video on the 12 Days of Christmas.

So far, for 2025, I haven't set any new goals/resolutions apart from intending on using gift cards from past holidays and birthdays.  For the most part, I feel like my goals are similar to past years--exercise more consistently, have a better sleep schedule, buy some new clothes, declutter my space, etc.--so I don't feel a strong need to create drastically new ones.

I've been watching some YouTubes on goal setting from time-to-time just to feel some New Year's energy.⚡

When things settle down, and as backwards as it may seem, I may revisit my TTBC series and more calmly do the practices as appropriate.

How is 2025 going for you?  Are you setting or avoiding NY's resolutions this year?  Are there any habits that you set from past years that you are still continuing or wish to revive?

Whatever your answers, I hope that you're doing and staying well. 🤩

This just seems like a holiday song, non?

TTBC 🎄 Rewind

So.  I realized that I had overlooked one of the fundamentals for doing a challenge, i.e., defining the goal(s).  An additional fundamental, too, is knowing my why for the Trying to Be Christmassy🎄  series.  Basically, I started this series because I was thinking that it'd be interesting to see what holiday-related activities AI could come up with for holiday songs.  Also, I was reflecting on how it didn't really feel like Christmas to me.  Not that I had the blahs, but simply I didn't have a strong sense that it was the holiday season apart from occasional moments of seeing holiday items in the grocery store or observing some holiday decorations in my area.

In a way, I do know my "why" for the series, but why does it matter to feel Christmassy? There are other things that I could preoccupy my time with that, frankly, are probably more important than this.  That, in a way, is another reason for doing this series:  If I don't, the time will likely whizz by overrun by other non-holiday activities or possibly too overextended by holiday activities to be present to the season.

My reasons for feeling Christmassy are to:

Appreciate the holiday season

Be present to the holidays, i.e., to avoid wondering where the holidays went once they'd passed

To connect with the holiday/Christmas energy, in the sense, of having something to look forward to, enjoying holiday experiences, connecting with others

Knowing my why, i.e., to appreciate the holiday season and to be present to the holidays, etc., also overlaps with defining my goal.  For that question, I'd additionally include to:

Feel calmer during the holiday season

Be better prepared which includes having my space feel holiday-ish, plan better so as to shop more strategically (ideally!), be more calmly ready for holiday outings (again ideally)

Another question that can help me to feel Christmassy is what are some things that I can do to feel more holiday energy 🎄?

Balance time with others with quiet time

Observe and appreciate holiday decorations, music, attire and food!

Watch holiday-themed YouTubes/movies

Learn about the holidays

Wear more holiday-ish colors

Make my home feel cozier

Find more opportunities to add cinnamon to food

Refill my diffuser with peppermint essential oils

Post and as possible do the TTBC series

Do the cool holiday journal workbook that my sis created

Sleep more

Practice staying calm and compassionate during potentially stressful holiday moments

Well, it's getting late, but this entry has been useful as a way of better reflecting on my Christmassy series, and, hopefully, it's allowed you to also reflect on your version of "Christmassy" or even helped you with pinpointing your outcome for desired goals. 

I don't intend on doing all of the things that I listed for feeling more Christmassy, but if I do a handful that'd be helpful.  

Also, remembering to practice self-care and to be patient is especially important during the holidays.

And for whatever wandering soul happened upon this post in the blogosphere, what does feeling more Christmassy mean to you?  

Additionally, is there an interest/activity in your life which may be neglected as it seems frivolous compared to your other priorities?  If the interest/activity is enjoyable/meaningful to you, is there a way that you could schedule time for it?

Thanks for reading this post and for following along with this  holiday series!  

Staying Committed

source: freefotouk, flickr.com

A theme that has been roaming through my mind recently is the idea of making a commitment to a goal.  A lot of us embark on the New Year with hopes of finally making that change--of losing weight, going back to school, or saving more money.  Two weeks or two months later, the goal is languishing and we've returned to our previous tendencies.  Why does this happen?  We know that organic broccoli is healthier than french fries.  We do want to earn that degree and have more money.  So why do we end up back to our previous patterns, feeling relieved that the stress of continuing our new habit is gone?

There are different reasons for this: 

• Fantasizing about the end result instead of realizing the adjustments we'll have to make to achieve that slimmer figure. 
• Expecting too much, too soon. 
• Feeling uncomfortable and deprived by our new behavior.

My theory is that before we take the action required to achieve a goal, we first work on strengthening our commitment muscles.  Once that quality is strengthened within us, it's easier to set, live and achieve our goals.

Imagine how much easier it would be for you to fit in that morning workout, if you were sincerely committed to your health.  When your commitment muscles are soft and weak, then you're far likelier to give up on a goal when challenged. 

Often times, we latch onto a goal with excitement and enthusiasm but with flabby commitment muscles.  When our excitement declines and our commitment is required, we perform poorly.  After all, if you're used to lifting 15 lbs, how can you instantly be expected to lift 5 times that amount?  Likewise, with your commitment muscles, if you're used to having a jiggly, "just getting-by" level of commitment in life, then it's going to feel uncomfortable to suddenly have a firm, high-achiever's commitment level. 

Since we you don't yet have that level it's easier for you to give up on your goals.  While you wish to change, you have a stronger commitment to comfort than to growth.  To ease the transition, you can do the commitment workout below and also take small steps so that you gently stretch your comfort zone.

Here's my still-in-the-lab workout on this commitment.  I'm currently in Week 1.  My suggestion is that before you begin your most challenging goals, you do your commitment workout first and then take baby steps with the goal.  Remember to set yourself up for success, not failure.  Please note, if your goal is to end an addictive behavior, be sure to consult with a professional about this.  This post is not an excuse for someone to continue their smoking habit.

The Easy Commitment Workout

Week 1
In the mornings, write the following:
I commit.  (3 times)
I keep my commitments.  (3 times)

When you're tempted to give up on something, remind yourself that you keep your commitments. 

Week 2
Appreciate that you kept Week 1's  commitment.  If you were unable to finish Week 1, appreciate what you did and then go back to Week 1 before moving onto Week 2.

In the mornings, write this phrase:

I keep my commitment to ________. (3 times)
Leave the sentence incomplete.  Do not complete that blank.  I'll explain later why that sentence is unfinished.

Stay posted for Week 3...

Please note that I'm strengthening my commitment muscle, also, so I am not in any way claiming to be a commitment guru.  : )  There are some activities that I've committed to, like flossing my teeth and getting more green veggies and other activities were my commitment has been lagging.  Often times, my posts are inspired by my own experiences or challenges.

To your growth in the New Year!

Transitioning into the New Year

I think in terms of the day's resolutions, not the year's.

Henry Moore

We're now more than a week into the new year.  Have you made goals for this year?  If so, how are your goals going for you?

This year one of my themes is transitioning into the new year.  I'd assumed that with the buzz about 2012 and my decision to re-focus my business, I'd be quite aglow on January 1.  That though was not the case.  Instead of bursting full-heartedly into the new year and finding myself tired out by February 1, I'm doing things incrementally.  You can't train for a marathon in a day and for most of us it takes more than the day shifting from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1, 2012 to cause change. 

On that high note, what are your goals for the new year?  How will you feel when you've accomplished your most important goal? 

Hey, let's back up...what is your most important goal for 2012? 

How do you want to feel throughout 2012?  Even better, how do you want to feel today?  Start now, to choose how you want to feel and live that feeling throughout your day.  Of course, feelings naturally ebb and flow, so if you're feeling less upbeat and cheery than expected, don't clobber yourself with guilt but instead experience the feeling and journal or take a walk to lessen the feeling's intensity.

So how do you feel...about this post?  Agree or disagree?  What are your doing to enjoy the New Year?  Feel free to post a comment below.