At the onset of January, I always have great hope for the new year.
Yet, historically, by February my best-of-intent plans have been known to lose some of their January steam. I know that if I really want to make it a new year, rather than just another year, I need to sharpen my focus on change and growth. Growth got me to thinking about plants. (Stick with me.) Plants led me to think about pruning and fertilizing.
Pruning: what to cut back/out? Fertilize: what to give special attention to? Applying this metaphor, I could feel my January steam revving up again!
For example, my 2013 pruning includes cutting way back on food that fills but doesn’t nourish, and saying a conscious ‘no’ before a thoughtful ‘yes’ to my commitments. My 2013 fertilizing includes changing up my tried-n-true exercise so I can significantly increase my strength, as well as investing more in key relationships (less in others) that push my growth.
The key to creating your prune and fertilize list: be specific, be reasonable, and pick the few things that will have greatest impact on what you want to see really flourish within you.
What to prune? What to fertilize? Same old garden or something new in bloom within you by spring? Grow with me—the best is yet to be!
Sue Stanek, Ph.D., has an extensive background in leadership development, currently focusing on helping others gain the mindset and motivation to stick with challenging wellness goals. Contact her at sue@skinnyfromtheinsideout.com or skinnyfromtheinsideout.com
