Introduction:

As we found things returning to normal since the pandemic, or at least some sort of “new normal,” congratulate yourself for surviving the biggest upheaval in our personal history! Being neurodiverse, we can find changes to our routine very uncomfortable and it felt as though Covid brought about continual changes and adjustments. Some of us thrived going online for work and school, others missed our in person connections. And the past year prompted another set of changes as the world continued to reopen. I have felt truly grateful to witness your resilience and movement forward. Each one of you is an inspiration!

Year in Review:

As the new year begins, celebrate your achievements! Whether you’ve just started counseling or coaching or our sessions are winding down, give yourself a pat on the back for what we’ve accomplished inside and outside of sessions.

Whether you’re neurodivergent, you’re the parent/partner of a neurodivergent, or you struggle with mental health issues, every one of you recognized there was support available to you and totally embraced it. Doing something new can be scary, whether  you’re neurodivergent or not, but you did it anyway! 

Besides scheduling a session with me, what other accomplishments have you had in 2023? I think there are many!

Self-Reflection:

Take time to reflect on your personal growth and accomplishments. What have you learned about yourself last year? What strengths have you discovered? Have you found, as I definitely have this year, that although there have been difficulties,  we are also very resilient. If we’re neurodiverse, that might be part of our makeup due to all of the adversities we’ve encountered throughout our life. If we’re a trauma survivor, our resilience has supported our survival. If you’re struggling to see your resilience, book a session and I’m happy to show you.

Looking Ahead:

I invite you all to set intentions for the new year. I’m not a fan of New Year’s resolutions, but I do like to choose a few intentions. One of mine is to get back on track with my fitness this year. It was something I found difficult to do while caring for my dad, although I did often walk as a way to ground and center myself.

I read this great idea for the new year and intentions and will use it with making fitness a priority. I have a fitness journal, so I will start keeping track of what I’m doing each day. Being able to look back on what we’ve accomplished is a similar dopamine hit as checking off an item on our to-do list. I probably need to do the same thing with taking my supplements, but it’s important to take it one step at a time and not make too many adjustments at once.

Whether to help with achieving goals or making other changes, support groups can be very helpful. I wrote in this article the usefulness of community with family life, but a supportive network can also be great for accountability. As always, if you need help finding resources, please reach out!

Planning Strategies:

Need help with time management? There are articles on my blog with different ideas. Whether you prefer to keep a notebook with an ongoing list of things to-do, time blocking with a planner, or tick marks on a calendar for each time you’ve completed the habit you want to add, we can work together to find something that supports the changes you want to make.

Feeling stressed about these changes or implementing a new routine? Maybe you need a supportive mantra or affirmation. Or look on you-tube for a guided meditation that resonates with you. If you already have a meditation practice, spend time in meditation while visualizing the new routine.

Conclusion:

The new year is a great time to make changes as it naturally feels like a fresh start. Take it slowly. Maybe with just one intention. If you struggle with motivation due to needing a dopamine hit, use the metrics approach linked to above. You will have a daily record of what you have done, a similar feeling to ticking items off a to-do list and will feel very accomplished as the new year continues! If you’re needing more ideas or a boost in your self-confidence, please schedule a session!

Whatever your goals, intentions, plans, or priorities for the new year, I would love to hear more. Please share your thoughts, ideas, questions, resources, and more.