And we’re off in a new year, by this time our schedules are going back to normal, and we may have even made (or broken) a few resolutions. Many people spend the first few weeks of a new year taking stock of the past year and planning for the coming months. Reviewing goals and accomplishments and creating resolutions are a right of passage into January. However, we all know that those resolutions often fall to the wayside once stress and responsibilities start to take over.

This year I have been drawn instead to the idea of a mantra. A mantra can be defined as a statement or slogan repeated frequently. Creating a personal mantra, or slogan, and reminding yourself to stick to that throughout the year, may fit a lot easier into your life than a resolution that only lasts a few weeks. Additionally, if you are able to implement and use something in your life throughout the year, the benefits will be much greater than those from a resolution that started strong but disappeared when the snow melted.

For 2018 I challenge you to create a mantra, in lieu of the traditional resolution, and see how it holds up throughout the year. Additionally if you want to put a fun twist on it, see if you can match your mantra to the first letter of your name. For instance my first name is Katherine, and my mantra for 2018 is "karma".

For me personally I liked using the word karma because the idea of putting good things in the world and trusting that good things will come back, is something I can apply to all aspects of my life. Spending time thinking about karma, creating good karma, and believing in the power of positivity will affect my life, and the life of those around me, more meaningfully than a goal of sticking to a budget or joining a new gym.

As we move into the daily grind of 2018, take a minute to create your mantra, or personal slogan, and see how it motivates you throughout the year. Does it help push you through the stressful times and validate you during the good ones? Does it give you a sense of accomplishment? Seems like it's worth a try to find out.

I'll be test driving "karma", what about you? Let me know what your slogan is and how it works for you.

On the list for next week...Is it time to use a parenting life line?

By Katherine Biggs, MSCP