Once the clock strikes midnight, many of us feel as if our own personal clock has reset and that we are starting over with a fresh, clean slate. In many ways, the ending of a marriage can incite these same feelings of a new beginning. It is also an opportunity to explore some new hobbies and activities that you may enjoy.
Here are some tips and tricks to start the New Year off right.
- Try something you’ve never done before but have always wanted it.
Life gets so busy and we can easily get caught up in our routines. There’s always going to be laundry to do and groceries to buy. We all have that one activity that’s been sitting on our bucket list for far too long. This year, make it a priority to step out of your comfort zone and try it. It doesn’t need to be something earth shattering like sky diving, but can be a local Zumba class or trying a new type of cuisine you’ve always been interested in.
- Enjoy your alone time and find comfort in it.
If you’re a parent, once you have children your time alone is pretty much non-existent. Now that you’ve divorced, chances are your children will be spending time with their other parent on a regular basis. Of course this is difficult, as you love your children, but try to focus on this time alone to do something for yourself. Spend an afternoon perusing your favorite stores or read a book that you’ve long neglected on the nightstand. While being “alone” can be hard, you can also do some positive self-reflection during that time.
- Work on your relationship with yourself and with your co-parent.
This may seem like too little too late, but being a parent doesn’t stop when your children turn 18. Learning how to create a new relationship with your former spouse and co-parent can truly lead to a much calmer and satisfying life for not only you but most importantly your children. Children feel tension, and nobody wants to be on edge all of the time. By looking at that co-parenting relationship through a new lenses, you can redefine that relationship and restructure it into a positive experience.
- Say YES!
It’s so easy to say No…no to dinner out with friends, no to a late afternoon movie on a weekend, no to that weekend away by the beach. Some of life’s greatest moments can come from saying yes.
Here’s to a New Year and a New You!!