Q4: How to End the Year Strong (even if it sucked so far) | THE CYCLE BREAKERS BLOG

I’m sure you haven’t missed the fact that 2022 is almost over. We continue moving right on through the last quarter of the year. Think about it, there’s only about two-and-some-change months left.

With that, let’s talk about how you can end the year on a high note, regardless of how it’s gone thus far.

First off: don’t waste your time being anxious about 2023 peeking it’s head around the corner. Let it motivate you. There’s still enough time to take action on and towards generation-changing habits and patterns (I mean, this is the cycle breakers blog-we are motivated to improve and advance beyond ourselves; we understand our families and future descendants hang in the balance). Why wait until New Year’s is next week? Why not identify now which things are important to you, things you’d like to incorporate into your life, and things you’d like to begin removing from your life?

Start simple. Take some time this weekend and jot those things down in your planner or journal. I advise you get very specific, and focus on what you want vs what you don’t want. Instead of, ‘I want to stop eating so much junk food’ (very vague and negatively focused), try ‘I want to start eating at least one salad for a meal each week, on Wednesdays for lunch’. See the difference?

The sooner you do something like this, the more you’ll have to work with and reflect on at the actual end of the year: did this work for me, did I accomplish it, what didn’t work so well, what can I change to make my plans and intentions more successful? You do this sooner and you’ll also have the advantage in identifying more quickly what’s going to get you the results you’re looking for and what is not helping you. I’ve found starting earlier puts me ahead of the curve in my own way; lot’s of other people are only starting to make their positive changes once the new year hits, while I am on my second or third round of improvements and overcoming any setbacks.

What do you do to give yourself an edge or boost in the fourth quarter?

Making any kind of significant, lasting change is gonna be impossible if you’re relationship with yourself is in shambles: struggling to be consistent, negative self talk, letting yourself go physically, lack of strong platonic/romantic/professional boundaries, unresolved trauma that’s sabotaging your best efforts.

Let’s end this year strong!

Marie MFT-