Two Thoughts for Your New Year

What are your New Year’s resolutions? What is your word for the year? What are your goals? What will you accomplish? As we start the new year, we are surrounded by ways to improve and reinvent ourselves. Yet, growth, change, and the transitions of life are not confined to a specific time of year. Change, even when positive or desired, is often stressful. Painful or unwanted change can tip us into distress and challenge our sense of well-being. When working through life transitions and change, I like to keep two words in mind - routine and pivot.

It takes energy to accept and adapt to loss and change. This is where routines can be helpful. Whether we’re eating oatmeal every morning or walking on the treadmill right after dinner, conserving energy with an established routine frees us from decision fatigue and increases our margin to address the unique aspects of a day.

It may also help to discern and lean into a pivot point. A pivot is defined ‘the central thing in a situation’ (Cambridge English Dictionary). In music, a composer uses a pivot chord, which is shared by two keys, to move smoothly between them. A young child carries a special blanket as they transition from a crib to a bed. In a similar way, identifying what is important or vital, and carrying that with you through a transition, can increase your sense of stability and safety in times of change.

As you begin your year and are, perhaps, thinking about resolutions, goals, and the challenges you might face this year, I encourage you to consider the routines that support your well-being and the values you can take with you as you navigate whatever the new year may bring.