I know many of us are feeling that familiar Monday slump after the holiday break. You could see it in my face this past weekend. Ha! This is on my way to the grocery store to get supplies for the work week. After two weeks in sweats and Ugg boots, motivating myself to put on real clothes again was a struggle! It feels like ages since I’ve had so much time off! I truly embraced the break, using it to declutter and reorganize my creative spaces at home.
Covid was an unexpected visitor on the scene here for the past 10 days! I had immunity from my bout with it back in September, so I never was sick. Other family members were not as lucky and as a result, time with family and friends was not happening unfortunately. However, it did give me a lot of time for reflection. I thought a lot about what truly matters and how to try to live a more meaningful life going forward. Connection and community appear repeatedly as important themes for me. I will be keeping these top of mind.
I chatted with someone this morning while waiting my turn for an MRI on my ankle, from an injury last year. She is not the first person this year I have had a random conversation with. We had a really great chat about falling, activities we avoid, the drones on the east coast and just the simple art of conversation and how difficult it is these days for a lot of people. My strategy: I intentionally do not pull my phone out in waiting rooms. Instead I observe everyone and target the next lucky person who looks like they’re open to connecting with someone Ha! Seriously though, in my experience, most people love an impromptu conversation. It’s connection with our fellow humans, so important! But, if you don’t feel comfortable striking up a conversation with a stranger, start with just giving someone a smile. Baby steps. A smile from someone always makes me feel better.
My big goal for 2024 was to launch this project and website, which I successfully accomplished! This year, I’m excited to continue writing, writing, writing and look forward to the launch of my “Queen of the Nobodies”podcast (tbd). And, as I said I was going to do again, I kicked off my 2025 “No Buy New Clothes” challenge last week. Recalling how impactful it was in 2023, and adding the community experience to the process this time, I’m eager to see what other positive changes it will inspire this year.
January always feels magical to me – a time of fresh starts and endless possibilities. What are your big plans for 2025? If you are working on a resolution or challenge, here are a few tips to consider :
Reflect & Set Intentions:
- Review the Past: Spend time reflecting on the previous year. What went well? What were your biggest challenges? What lessons did you learn?
- Define Your “Why”: What truly matters to you? What experiences do you want to cultivate? What kind of person do you want to be?
- Set SMART Goals: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound goals. Don’t just say “get in shape” – say “run a 5k by June.”
Want to hear more about reframing resolutions and challenges? Check out the latest episode of the podcast, ‘Happy Headspace,’ featuring Brian Mounts, Executive Director of the Alcohol & Addictions Resource Center in South Bend and myself. We dive deep into this topic and offer some valuable insights. You can find the episode on Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and most other major platforms.
Live Zoom Call
This Wednesday, 12 p.m. Eastern
Interested in learning more about my 2025 No Buy New Clothes Challenge community? I’ve created a private space where we can connect on the Nas.io platform. Think of it as a classroom, where I will provide content and we all can share our progress and challenges while learning from one another. To discover more about the challenge, join myself and other community members on a Zoom call this Wednesday, January 8, at 12 pm Eastern!
I wish you all a productive and inspiring week as we settle back into our routines!
– Cathy 🙂
Queen of the Nobodies 