It’s January 2, 2019. And a new year generally brings New Year’s resolutions with it. Maybe this year you hope to lose weight, accomplish a professional goal, or get your finances in order.
Or perhaps you are one of those people who hates the idea of a New Year’s resolution. In that case, you are likely basking in the glow of making no major changes at all!
Personally, I like New Year’s resolutions. However, last year I did something different that completely changed my experience.
While I made a list of goals for 2018, I also set a personal mantra for the year.
You can think of a personal mantra as a theme or an intention. In 2018 mine was to “follow wherever the universe takes me.” It may sound cheesy, but it felt right. And following this personal mantra last year made all the difference.
Honestly, 365 days ago I had a totally different plan for how 2018 should look. My goals included running another marathon and completing another Half Ironman.
But instead of staying fixated on those goals, I stayed more open than ever before. When the universe opened a door, I walked right through it. Even if I was scared, uncomfortable, or it didn’t line up with what I thought I was capable of doing.
One result was starting my masters.
I graduated with my undergraduate degree in 2002. Since then, I’d thought about getting my masters, but always felt it was something out of reach.
However, because I was more open to opportunities than ever before, in February I found a master’s program at USC that I was really interested in and I didn’t shut it down as something I wasn’t capable of completing. I stayed open to the opportunity and decided to apply. I was accepted and started school by May.
It has been far more rewarding, enlightening, and fulfilling than I ever could have imagined. Assuming everything stays on track, by this time next year I’ll have a Masters of Science in Integrated Design, Business, and Technology from USC.
From a fitness standpoint, I wanted to do a marathon in May and a Half Ironman in July. I did the marathon in May, but it helped me really see that my body needed a break from endurance sports.
Instead of pushing through and training for the Half Ironman, I let my body heal and started doing more yoga.
My passion for yoga grew exponentially and just continued to follow that joy. It led me to do a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training through the second half of 2018, which I absolutely loved. That awesome experience is coming to an end this weekend and I’ll graduate and be a certified yoga teacher.
And finally, I let go of my old eating beliefs. For years, I thought I had to eat this or that. I counted calories, cursed the scale, and worked out for hours so I could eat more decent food that I really believed made me happy.
For over a year, I had thought about going vegan, but I didn’t think I could do it.
However, in March I tried going vegan for a month. Once I made the change and found it suited my lifestyle, I haven’t looked back. I feel better about what I eat now than ever before. I know it’s better for my body, for the environment, and for animals. An added bonus is I’ve finally let go of a ton of emotional eating habits I had never been able to shake before.
I’m grateful that I listened when I felt pulled to be vegan and all the benefits that have come from making this change. I’ve never felt better, physically and emotionally.
So what is my personal mantra for 2019? It’s three simple lines:
God Leads
More Joy
Let Go Of Fear
Where these guiding beliefs take me is quite honestly up to God. My goal is just to follow along, show up to the best of my ability, and enjoy the ride!
