It’s 2024! Happy new Year!

As a therapist, I have noticed over the last few years that a lot of people have been moving away from New Year’s resolutions, quoting various articles on how they just don’t work. I even had a notice from my daily Guardian news update, exhorting me to not bother trying to stop drinking, which actually shocked me, given how popular, healthy and beneficial Dry January is. Personally, I have always looked forward to making resolutions in the New Year and I usually succeed in whatever challenge I set myself. I’m not saying that I have always succeeded because I had a lot of very difficult years in the past where life was a constant round of failures, but that’s not where I am now. So, yes, I like making NY resolutions and, I don’t know how right people are about them not working, but they work for me, for sure. Even if you don’t make NY resolutions, you’ll have desires that you want to achieve right?

Now, I am somebody who has good motivation, willpower and tenacity, these days and I never doubt that I’ll succeed. Today, I have a positive mindset and a ‘can do’ attitude and, actually, when I do fail at something, it always surprises me. But I don’t let failures hold me back and I just get back on the horse, so to speak. Sometimes this can take a while if I’ve had a bad setback, but I always get there or somewhere better. So, in this vein, I’d like to share my top tips for motivating you to succeed, whatever it is that you desire.

1. Get organised and make a plan. This is essential. Nobody achieves their desires just by thinking about them. We need to get whatever it is that we’re wanting in our heads onto paper – or some other medium that is visual, so that we can look at the whole and be able to break that down into smaller chunks, which can become your goals. My favourite aid to organisation and planning is the Bullet Journal method (BUJO), which is a simple organisational tool using one journal rather than a having combination of personal and professional diaries, notebooks and lists, for instance. Everything is in one place and a code enables you to stay on track with everything that is going on. There are lots of apps now that help people stay organised but I favour the BUJO as writing in long-hand is therapeutic and you can also incorporate art and other creative artefacts. Check out this guidance for BUJO beginners from Claudia Spaurel on YouTube.
2. The GANTT chart is another brilliantly effective organisational tool that you can write out in your BUJO and use for big pieces of work that need to be broken down into smaller chunks. The GANTT chart helps you to prioritise the order of things and work out the deadlines for everything that needs to be done, so it a great tool for big projects. With BUJO and GANTT you’re totally organised! 
3. Having talked about the significance of great organisation, I also want to stress how important it is to release perfectionism, as this can keep us paralysed in the problem and be the enemy of advancement. I enjoyed reading this article about making small “half-arsed” attempts at changing your life rather than completely overhauling it by Chloe Hamilton who, quite rightly, said how being half-arsed vegan was better than not trying at all. Exactly. Start where you are. You don’t have to change everything all at one, making small changes where you can soon add up to big ones anyway.
4. Enlist the help of friends and family or find a support group or a practitioner such as a therapist or coach. It’s so much easier to make big changes if you have understanding, accountability, motivation and inspiration. These qualities that others bring to your endeavours can be found for free in loved ones or social media groups or you can buy them through professionals such as personal trainer. Make it easier for yourself with someone to cheer you on when the journey seems tough – you don’t have do it all alone!
5. Devise yourself a good self-care plan, so that you can stay in tip-top condition to achieve what it is that you truly desire. You want to work on your goals but you don’t want to burn yourself out, so you’ll want to work out how to have balance. Regular breaks, spending time in nature, exercising your body, having time with friends or time alone – quiet time.. whatever it is that you need. Remember that you are a unique individual and what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work for another. If you’re engaged in a big project with peers or you’ve buddied up with a partner and their idea of downtime is partying on a Friday night but your idea of relaxing is getting comfy in your pyjamas with Netflix and some snacks, then honour your own needs and do what’s best for you. You do you and do it with love and care – you know it makes sense.
6. Find a motivational song that gets you pumped for action. My favourite is Desmond Dekker’s, You Can Do It If You Really Want, which I played throughout my PhD years, particularly through the very brutal final year rewrite, which had me pulling out all the stops, every ounce of willpower, drive, grit… you can do it if you really want…!! Honestly, it really helps and when every little helps, it’s worth a try. I also like motivational audio books and clips like this Daily Motivation podcast OVERCOMING CHALLENGES – 2023 Empowerment Speech so rousing!
7. Believe in yourself and your dreams. Understand the power of creating your reality through the thoughts you think and the words you say. Know that energy is everything and be mindful to raise your vibration on a daily basis. Yoga, meditation, being in nature, having a spiritual practice, and taking good care of your mind, body and soul are all ways to honour yourself as an energetic being who is one part of a whole and conscious Universe that is working for you not against you. Read and listen to books by Dr Joe Dispenza such as Becoming Supernatural, and Kyle Gray such as Raise Your Vibration. Dream, believe, achieve!

So there you have it.

7 of my top tips to help you achieve your dreams in 2024 🙂

You can do it!

To request a free consultation or make a booking

email: hello@frayazellawolf.com