How many articles have been written on our inability to stick to New Year’s resolutions beyond about mid-February? And how many more have been written—this year notably, for some reason—with titles like “How to Make Resolutions You Really Can Keep!”?
The problem isn’t us. It’s the unrealistic resolutions we set: Lose 20% of your body weight. Work out for 3 hours a day, 7 days a week. Stop smoking today. Climb Mount Everest (ok for some of you this might actually be doable).
Why do we torture ourselves so? I say, don’t do it.
For the past several years, I’ve resolved not to create resolutions in favor of setting a theme for the year instead. A theme is broader and, for me, something that more easily guides all my decisions throughout the year.
I started a few years ago with the theme of “Authenticity.” After spending most of my early career checking a part of myself at the door in each job, I decided enough was enough. Like me or . . . don’t. What you see is what you get, and when you let me do what I do best, oh boy can I add value.
The next year my theme was “Focus.” I was building a consulting and coaching practice at the time, and I needed to focus on the essential activities for growing that business and needed to continue to focus on working from strengths and passions. (That focus led me to becoming a part of the Innovative Career Consulting, Inc.– OI Partners, team in 2011!)
Last year my theme was “Partnership” which spread through my work and personal life leading to great successes on both fronts.
This year, my theme is “Healthy Living,” for mind, body, spirit and relationships.
Themes will infiltrate every aspect of your life for the better versus infecting you with guilt for not reaching some outlandishly unattainable resolution. Some ideas, in no particular order, to help you get started setting your own theme for 2014 include:
- Compassion
- Courage
- Humility
- Family
- Executive Presence
- Friendships
- Relationships
- Assertiveness
- Organization
- Follow-Through
- Play
- Transitioning
- Leadership Development – your own or encouraging others
- Creativity
- Adaptability
- Inspiration
- Communication
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Sustainability
I could go on…
So, what’s your theme for 2014?
Meredith Masse
mmasse@oipartners.net
Meredith’s personal mission is to create “best places to work” filled with engaged employees and “follower-worthy” managers and leaders.
As Senior Vice President at Innovative Career Consulting, an OI Partner based in Denver, Meredith guides leaders, teams and entire organizations to increase productivity and profitability while developing happier people. Meredith personally specializes in leveraging strengths in the workplace – in team development, career coaching and pre-hire selection and development assessments. Partnering with companies across industries, she empowers teams to deliver better bottom-line results, increase productivity and improve efficiency.
Originally from Oklahoma, Meredith earned two degrees from the University of Maryland (GO TERPS!), studied language and literature at the Institute for American Universities in Aix-en-Provence, France, and spent 20 years in the Washington, DC, area before moving to Colorado with her family in 2005. Meredith is a Certified Kolbe Consultant and is the immediate Past President of the Board of Directors of the Southern Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce in Colorado Springs.
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