Stress Reduction for the New Year

“You are worthy of a good life. Let go of stress. Breathe. Stay positive.”

-Germany Kent

The ending months of the year tend to be hectic, stress-filled, and emotionally overwhelming. It can be a sobering time of reflection on our behaviors, thoughts, triumphs, and losses. As we look to the New Year to wipe the slate clean and start again, I encourage you to asses the methods you will use as you anticipate these changes.

The renewal of our engery and motivation in the upcoming season can be refreshing and hopeful. We see January as the vehicle for behavior change. Counting down the minutes until our old self dies, being replaced by our hopeful new form.

This transformation comes with it’s own set of difficulites. Setting expectations for yourself during the New Year can be as stressful as it is exciting. Many of us fall into those same old traps that keep us from reaching our expectations. After a month or two our motivation starts to slip and you begin asking yourself “Why Do My New Years Resolutions Not Last?”

It can feel disheartening when you struggle to achieve the goals and dreams you have set for yourself. Stressful even, if those goals are tied to real-life problems that must be attended to like:

• Poor health
• Unstable finances
• Family conflicts
• Insert your problem here

The stress you feel when you recognize the path you are currently on is not the one you want only builds when no change occurs. Stress can grow when you don’t feel as though you are making progress fast enough, or if you don’t believe that change is sustainable.

Stress is apart of daily life, and has the opportunity to heighten when we feel emotionally driven. Women especially feel pulled by our emotional strings when we fall short of our inner perfectionist’s standards. I have been there and understand how lonely and frustraiting that can be.

To help you reduce your stress for the New Year I offer the following suggestions:

Set Reasonable Time Expectations

This may feel like a slap in the face. A “no duh” moment; for who would intentionally set expectations they don’t believe they can reach. What I mean by set reasonable time expectations is, before you write down your goals, compare the distance between where you currently are and where you want to be. 

In everyday life we tend to be in a rush. Hurry in traffic, hurry the kids along, can’t wait to see the last season of insert show, can’t wait till summer comes, then fall, then…

It never ends. 

When I look at my goal setting I not only evaulate what goals I want to reach, I keep in mind my own timeline. I ask myself: “Does this goal have to happen this year specifically, or would it be best suited next time?” Good things come in their own time. 

A women who has PCOS may want to become a mother one day. Yet with all the unfortunate symptoms accompanying the syndrome, she can likely not expect motherhood to happen immediately. Instead she can set reasonable time expectations and plan for each step as it comes. Taking the time to improve her mental and physical health to withstand the journey to motherhood. Keeping stress down plays a part in that journey.

What is for you cannot pass you by, so why not take the time to set realistic time expectations? 

Belief in yourself is bolstered or impeded by the evidence you create.

 Build that confidence and lower your stress by setting realistic time expectations.

Make Two Plans

For all my Type A girlies, this will be appealing. To reduce stress as you move into the New Year I encourage you to make two plans. One plan shows you what would happen if you continue on your current path and another shows step by step how you can improve your situation.

Our minds tend to err on the side of the negative. Remembering all the times something went wrong is a biological advantage that helps you from repeating unnecessary mistakes. Use that in this exercise. 

By outlining the trajectory you are currently on you can see which areas you are most likely to trip up. If you’re honest with yourself you will see a glimpse at your future should nothing change. Then, the other plan will not only show you what your future could look like, but it will break down the process into bite-sized pieces that can be achieved throughout the year.

Making plans is the cornerstone of any successful project. Having those plans thought through and written out will significantly reduce your stress throughout your journey.

Have Grace

This is something I come back to often. Even the dreams we want the most can feel overwhelming and tiring after a while. Burnout is a very real thing and can negatively impact the results you are seeking in the New Year.

So when things go wrong, you forget or get sidetracked, show yourself some grace. Encourage yourself like you would a friend. Show yourself the loving support you need without giving in to your inner critic. 

In my stress reduction journey, I tend to see my New Year from birthday to birthday. That makes my journey more personal and easy to see real change from one age to the next. If I reach my next birthday and I haven’t achieved what I thought I would my initial reaction now (it wasn’t always like this) is to pause. Instead of criticizing my lack of achievement, I look at my life as a whole. What have I done for my physical health, my emotional intelligence, and my mental hygiene? How has my lifestyle changed and do I feel the same about the goals I made a year ago? Where has change occurred that I didn’t expect, and yet love?

The thing is, life will change you whether you plan for it or not, and many times the plans we set for ourselves end up not happening. Not necessarily because we don’t care, but because life took us somewhere else. If you were to have disdain for every goal not achieved, you wouldn’t be able to see and appreciate the other changes that were made organically.

Instead of stressing show yourself grace when setting expectations in the New Year, and be open to the little changes that in the end, will likely make the most difference.

Final Notes

 I see the New Year as an incredible and unique time when people all around the world buzz with excitement for the New Year. A time when we collectively buzz in the same direction at the same time; being filled with hopes, dreams, and all manner of aspirations. We can find encouragement in the collective dream for a better future we all share. 

In-nested has certainly grown and changed since its initial launch in January 2023 and will continue to do so with each reader that comes by. I thank you for this last year and welcome you to join in the journey.

Better mental and physical wellness for women is the bread and butter of In-nested, if that feels interesting to you I welcome you to join the newsletter from The Nest and receive bi-monthly notes, inspiration, and encouragement. 

Thanks for reading.

Until nest time,