As 2023 draws to a close, I know we all think about, on some level, how at the start of the new year, “I’ll do better – especially when it comes to taking care of myself”. Especially regarding fitness and weight loss. How do I know? Because I’ve been there too. The good intentions, the resolutions, even cleaning out the fridge and cupboards of our guilty snack pleasures.

 I had a lifelong struggle with maintaining a healthy weight until a couple of years ago. I would be good for months on end, only to eventually sabotage my healthy eating habits and spiral out of control, leading to feeling poor and gaining weight. I knew what I really wanted was to be healthy, and that an optimal weight would be a result of that.

 Would you like a way you could make your upcoming year THE ONE You Get What You Say You Want?

 The small, 2 letter word “do” starts us off on the wrong foot. Doing implies taking action – a good thing – but it too often turns out those actions are a variation of what we were already doing that didn’t work, and we don’t realize it.

 Think about it, we say to ourselves “I’ll go to the gym more or take more yoga classes.” We know deep down inside that if we had a hard time getting to 1 class a week, then getting to 2 or 3 certainly isn’t going to happen - despite our determination. The same concept applies to our nutrition. We tell ourselves, “I’ll find my willpower starting January 2, and give up eating the things I know don’t serve my health.” How is it that we think if we’ve struggled most of the past year with this, we’ll make those changes based on sheer willpower? We set ourselves up for failure.  

 Have you ever heard the expression “putting icing on a mud pie”? We can make it look pretty, but it’s still a mud pie. It’s adding something good on to what’s not good at the most basic and important level. Similarly, if we’re looking at “doing” more, different or better – that’s putting icing on a mud pie. We won’t get the lasting outcomes we’re really after.

 Adding good intentions on top of what didn’t work for us previously won’t get us what we want. So, let’s get to some good news and real solutions…..

 The past is gone. And we can’t dwell in the past and move forward at the same time. It’s time we forgive ourselves. If we keep going back there, it’s because we’re getting some “juice” out of it, like justifying our actions or lack of, or avoiding being responsible for whatever we did or didn’t do. We may even blame someone else for our unwanted outcomes – another form of avoiding being responsible. We need to JUST OWN IT. ALL OF IT! Period. Yep-that was me, I did that. Being responsible for all of it is actually empowering.

 I didn’t want to put icing on a mud pie. I had to own the self-abuse and negative patterns, the regret and remorse. It was uncomfortable being responsible for the decades long ugly reality I had created. Once I OWNED IT ALL, I was able to take new actions based on my commitments, not my excuses and reasons.

 Now we’ve created some space, a clearing, for something new.

 No icing on that mud pie. If you were empowered by being responsible for the outcomes up to this point, what could YOU be responsible for moving forward?  Maybe being proud, courageous, unstoppable, free? Whatever lights you up! Allow how you want to BE determine what you do to get there. I used the word “do” because now it’s acting after being complete with what’s held you back. It’s an action taken not just to fix or change something you don’t want, it’s an action based on your creation of how you want to be.

 In the new space I created, I chose being peaceful, energetic and vital. The actions I took, based on my newly declared way of being, led to consistent actions of eating whole, real foods only. I not only improved my health, but I am also empowered because I created new patterns. No icing on a mud pie. I have the lasting results I was after.

 In YOGA we call this Samskara. Freeing ourselves from habits – in this case negative patterns. It is taking action free from what’s happened in the past, because it is the right thing to do in the present moment.

 When it comes to yoga, every opportunity we show up on our mat or to our class is an opportunity to practice how we want to be. We can allow our intention to be peaceful, connected, uplifted, focused, etc. to guide our every breath and the way we embrace the movement. It makes the practice of yoga intentional, grounded, and rewarding on a deeper level. When we practice this on our mat, it serves us in all areas of our lives, especially how we care for ourselves and others.

 What are you willing to take full responsibility for and create something BRAND NEW and make 2024 THE YEAR your get what you say you want?

 If you’d like a partner, I would love to hear from you and work with you to create something new. I want to know - out of the new space you created - who are you going to BE in 2024?

 Drop me a line anytime!

janet@janetwenger.com