Hello 2023, Adios 2022

Create the highest grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.” Oprah Winfrey

As we start a new year let’s agree to ditch the impossible and often judgmental resolution-making and instead take some time to reflect on 2022 and set a vision for 2023. Self-reflection, by definition, allows us to look neutrally at our thoughts, feelings, emotions, and actions. Through this practice of self-reflection, we are able to look at ourselves with interest and curiosity without judgment. If you only look with judgment you will limit your life and all its possibilities! Without the weight of judgment, you can allow more vision and fresh intention for what’s ahead.

REFLECTION

Before you set a vision and intention for what’s ahead it’s important to first reflect on where you’ve been. Take a look at 2022 – highlight a few of your favorite moments from your social media, or sit down as a family to go through photos from the past year – moments of connection that maybe you forgot. Then as we do here at Austin Therapy for Girls, take time to review some difficult moments after the last year. This kind of reflection is not only a way to honor the pain, the growth, and let go, but also to make room for what you want to bring into 2023.

We have a free Year in Review worksheet you can download HERE to help with this reflection and intention-setting process. On this worksheet you’ll find a prompt to write down the things you loved about this year – for me it’s TRAVEL. I’ve loved being able to go back to one of my favorite places in June New Orleans.

On this Year in Review worksheet we ask you to write down a favorite memory from the past year. Get specific! Who were you with? Where were you? What was happening? Capturing this memory will put a smile on your face – and it’s a moment you can go back to when things feel hard. Speaking of, we don’t shy away from the hard things. On this worksheet you will be asked to remember a challenging time from 2022 and ways that you learned to deal with the hard stuff.

Shayna here :

For many of my clients – girls,  teens, young women and the people that love and support them – the hardest thing in 2022 was making the transition to college, adulting etc. Transitions can be so challenging because we go from know to unknown. Especially going from high school to college, lots of changes and a time when a lot of shame gremlins come out.  If you are listening to that shame gremlin about your body, please check out of last December blog on respecting your body.

For me, one of the hardest things we have been going through in our family is learning that our beloved dog Martin has cancer on Halloween 2022, one of favorite holidays. It has been an up and down journey as anyone who has dealt with a cancer diagnosis knows all too well.  I have returned to my favorite spinning class and this has helped ease the grief and gives me a moment to have gratitude for the time we have with him.

Exercise has been key for me to emotionally regulate and if your looking for some good music and excellent instructors look no further than RIDE…

SETTING GOALS & INTENTIONS

After reflecting on 2022, it’s time to set some intentions and goals for 2023. I like to start goal-setting around how I want to feel vs specific actions. For example, instead of making a goal to workout 5x a week try setting a goal to feel strong and healthy. From there you can create small and specific action steps that will support how you want to feel. Expanding on the example of wanting to feel strong and healthy, your small and specific action steps might include going for a 10 minute walk, drinking a full 32 oz bottle of water, or taking a YouTube yoga class once a week. One of our favs is yoga by Adriene and she is in ATX.Move – A 30 Day Yoga Journey | Yoga With Adriene

Another way to accomplish your goals is to identify your very own superpowers that will support you along the way. Your special superpower is what comes easy to you and will help you find momentum. Your superpower might be commitment, bringing the fun, connection, listening, or resilience. So for example, if your goal is to feel strong and healthy and your superpower is bringing the fun your action might be joining a dancing your way into shape!

Of course, we all have our days when we want to say “fudge it” ( replace it with your favorite f word *wink wink*) so preparing for what you will do when you want to give up is helpful. Big goals can be hard work and it’s not always easy. Find an accountability buddy, journal your feelings, track your daily habits along the way, or light your vision candle (more on that below) to remember who you want to be when you want to throw in the towel on your goals.

TRY THIS CREATIVE ACTIVITY: VISIONING CANDLE

In this creative activity, we create a vision board on a plain white candle using stickers, magazines and paint pens, and set an intention for the year ahead. The vision candle can be around hopes and dreams and also setting intentions. Pick a word of the year to include on the candle to represent what you want to bring more of into the new. Every time you light the candle your vision lights up as well. (Just remember to blow out your candle before heading to bed! Your room going up in flames is not on the mood board for 2023.)

If you need help reflecting on your year (the good and especially the bad), setting new goals and intentions, and identifying your super powers we’ve got therapists here at Austin Therapy for Girls here to help. Contact us here to learn more >