I don’t know about you, but the end of the year leaves me feeling, one feeling above all else and that is overwhelmed! It always sneaks up on me and I find myself buried in to-do lists & Christmas Shopping not to mention feeling bad about everything that has happened in this insane year we call 2020. There is so much to be thankful for and so much I never want to think about again. This has been a wild crazy year that will go down in history. 

Say Thank-you and Goodbye 

Perhaps you are feeling defeated as the end of the year approaches—like you can’t keep your head above water. We have all learned from Marie Kondo that when you are done with an item you need to let it go with gratitude and respect and we need to do the same with 2020. Acknowledging everything we have gone through and not suppressing the emotions that this year has brought is so important. I know exactly how that feels, and despite those feelings, you can still finish the year strong. To finish the year properly we first need to reflect on what has happened.

Take Inventory of your Current Self

Sometimes, when we are overwhelmed it seems easier to just look the other way and ignore things like finances, relationships, goals, etc. but do you know what that does? It makes you MORE stressed out. Putting off the inevitable is never a good idea. So you know what you gotta do?! Take control! Lean into the overwhelming feelings instead of running away. Open up your bank statement, have those tough conversations, hop on the scale, and face your fears head on. Once you find out where you currently stand, then you can begin to move forward and progress. Start now, you never have to wait till January 1st.

Check In On Your Mindset

I know this has been a really tough year emotionally, financially, and even physically for so many. I know it’s been easier than ever to be negative or just be so down on life in general. Here’s the deal, at the end of the day we’re all lucky enough to be here – to be alive and breathing, to have food to eat and air to breath. So, we need to get it together and reframe our mindsets! Just like negativity is contagious, so is positivity. Take a second to stop and think about all the things you are grateful for. Take inventory of where you are putting your energy. Protect your peace. If something is stressing you out and it’s out of your control, don’t spend too much energy on it. Let. It. Go. If you need to take some time for self care to clear your mind – do it! Get your head right and put yourself in the right mindset so you can finish the year strong.

Reflect

Take time to think back through the year and instead of dwelling on how $h*tty it was, think about any silver linings that were brought to life. For me, I got a lot of extra special time with my family and babies, and I found a better balance between work and home life in general. My pace in life was 100mph so slowing down a little has been good for me. What have you achieved this year? Did you pay off debt? Did you improve a relationship? Did you work towards a goal? Whatever it is, be proud of yourself. Focus on the good, not the bad. 

Now What?

Now that we have processed what 2020 really meant to us it is time to focus on how to switch our mindset and plan for a better 2021 no matter what is going on in the world around us! A new week, month or year is never a flick of a switch and will transform you into a different human but hard work and the creation of better habits will. There is no change without a plan and a desire. We have to stop letting the world around us be a constant excuse for not being who we want to be. It is time to take our lives back into our own hands and start growing. 

Focus On What You CAN Control

Too many people are unhappy because they do not accept the things or circumstances that they cannot change or have no control over. This leads to unnecessary frustration, disappointment, suffering and stress. Have you ever heard the prayer?! “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” You do not have to be religious to see the value offered in this prayer.

Unfortunately, many people make no effort to change the aspects of their lives that they are unhappy with and can change. Instead they try to change things that they have no control over. It really is simple: we should focus our time and energy on the parts of our lives that we can change and accept the ones that we cannot. I know this is easier said than done, and it is something I am working on myself! 

Set Goals

I know in a few weeks a lot of you will be setting your NYE Resolutions! To be honest, I am not a huge New Years Resolution type person. I feel like most people set something unrealistic and then forget about it a week later. I would rather set some goals for myself to work towards through all of next year. Instead of making resolutions, setting measurable goals is more likely to lead to success in seeing your hopes and dreams come to fruition. 

Your goals should always be SMART goals. This means they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based. For example, instead of saying “I will go to the gym 5 days per week every week” and then being let down when that doesn’t happen change it to “my goal is to maintain a healthy lifestyle long term” and then you break it down into the SMART categories for a real plan. For this fitness goal that would be weighing in weekly, tracking macros, etc. This will give you the motivation to keep going and tracking the progress helps with a sense of accomplishment. 

Now is the time! Some other helpful tips when it comes to going after your goals are to avoid comparisons, embrace the failures, enjoy the process (truly, truly enjoy it!) and borrow confidence when you need it. Take action and make goals happen. If you don’t, they never will.

Practice Being Grateful

This is a hard one, especially this year, but this is a great way to finish the year really strong. Even if you don’t feel like it – try it anyways. Get a little notebook out and each morning start the day by writing down 5 things you are grateful for. Accomplishments (big or small), relationships, finances, health, opportunities, etc. Once you start doing this regularly you become better at it! Just like anything practice makes perfect. They say it takes two weeks to form a habit. Good or bad, habits require repetition. Once they become habitual, they become automatic! There is no more extra thought – we just do it! Gratitude is the key to happiness and success. You can have gratitude no matter what your circumstances are.

Make YOU A Priority

Sometimes when life gets busy and crazy, the first thing we allow to slip is our wants and needs. You hear me say this all the time, but you can’t pour from an empty cup. If you want to take care of those around you best, then you HAVE to take care of yourself first. And that’s the truth! So take some time to do just that – squeeze that little workout in, get that mani/pedi, take 10 minutes to meditate, whatever feeds your soul – do it! Remember that happiness is a state of being and not a state of circumstances. You deserve this!

Goodbye 2020, You Helped Me Grow

Love finds you when you love yourself, support finds your when you support yourself, and gratitude finds you when you appreciate yourself. The answer is YOU. For a life of value, you first have to value yourself. We are only given one life, one chance at fully living. Know your worth, believe in your dreams, create your own happiness, and design a life you LOVE.

Finishing 2020 strong isn’t about accomplishing every single task on your to-do list. It’s about doing what you can, doing it well, and still enjoying the moment while doing it.

We got this!

XO

 Racquel