Happy New Year! Do those words make you happy or are you thinking, "Oh no. Another year of stress." or how about this one, "This year will be different. New year, new me." Only to have that wear off by January 4th. Did you join a gym, hoping this year will be your year to tackle your health? I'm not trying to bum you out here. I've learned, that if you want to see a new reality for yourself it requires choice and integrity, not more resolutions.
The choice part is simple. And since most of what we choose to do or not do involves stress, let's stay with that. My wish for you is to choose to have less stress in 2020. Now here's the hard part...."How do I do that after I make the choice Sam?" You ask. Be in integrity with your choice. "Say what?" In short, stop letting yourself off the hook. That doesn't mean to beat yourself up when you don't do what you said you would.
noun: integrity
1. the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness. "he is known to be a man of integrity" 2. the state of being whole and undivided. "upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty"
After reading the definitions, do you consider yourself a person of integrity? "Well of course Sam." You say. I ask in response:
Are you in ideal health for you?
Do you break promises?
Do you make excuses when you don't get your work done?
Are you often late?
Do you find yourself looking for an escape at the end of each day because the day was "a tough one?" (alcohol, food, binge watching, pornography)
The list could go on and on....
Basically, if there's something keeping you from your ideal you, the you you want to be, then you are not in integrity. I'm not judging, it just is. And hey, as I type this I have my own list of where I've been letting myself off the hook - Being out of integrity. It's the state of being human.
Imagine if more of us chose integrity. Imagine, if you made the choice to live a less stressed 2020? What would that look like? If you haven't been practicing the 3 Steps to live less stressed (See previous Blog Post)
Detach
Prioritize and
Execute
Then I invite you to make the choice to start there. Be in integrity with it. When stress shows up, choose to do those 3 things. I promise you you'll begin to set a pattern for yourself that works so well you'll shock yourself. Happiness, joy, empowerment, accomplishment. These are just a few things you'll have when you make the choice to live with less stress in 2020 - And that feels great!
So go on now, make the choice, practice the 3 steps, and be in integrity.
Happy 2020!
_____________________________________________
If you are a first responder and would like to find out how to combat the stress of the job. Please visit ABadgeofHonor.com and explore our suicide prevention program for first reponders.