Years ago I made it a practice to forgo resolutions. Although January is commonly known as the month to repent for past indiscretions, it’s no different than any other month on the calendar. Though I once was a resolution setter, like so many others I let my resolutions slide and by February, I was back to same ole, same ole. I felt guilty for the rest of the year. I began to realize that change requires two things, desire and readiness. Just because January is the designated month to “Just do  it!” everyone is pressured to make resolutions whether they’re ready or not. Not a good recipe for success.

The truth is that every single day of the year is an opportunity for change. Whether you want to quit smoking, cut your hair, go gray, change jobs, get out of a bad relationship, etc., January is probably the worst time to make the shift. Think about it, you’re coming down from the holiday high, feeling overwhelmed then making commitments that are probably far from realistic.  I don’t know about you, but come the second week in January, my decorations are down,  my kids are gone, the bills are coming in and quite frankly, I’m Debbie Downer.  Why would I want to add to January blahs by pressuring myself to make resolutions that I’m not really passionate about? Bottom line, I can’t be successful if I’m not making changes at the right time for the right reasons.

So for me, January like any other start of a month is simply a time to reflect. I take a look at what I’ve done to date that I’m proud of, and I also review the things that I could have done differently. No pressure, simply reflection.

Rather than making resolutions because we’re just supposed to, each day I see what I can do to make life a little happier, less stressful and more meaningful. I don’t need January to help me do that. Every day is a new day, a new opportunity to set a great stage for yourself.

At the start of every week, I set my intention to live my best life. I set my intention to go for the things I want, taking charge of my happiness and knowing that tomorrow brings yet another opportunity to make good on the things I didn’t quite get to.

As women, we put enough pressure on ourselves to do all and be all. We certainly don’t need one month out of the year to invite guilt for the next eleven. January can certainly be a month of evaluation, but rather than making resolutions that aren’t on track with your desire or readiness level, go for what makes you happy and fulfilled each and every day, not just January 1st.

Here’s to never wishing for more time, rather making the most of it!

Nicki