“I am the one at optimum…”
Re-establish your rhythms that have you functioning at your absolute best, featuring AllttA’s Optimum. Join us in the month of January as we’re working through a 3-part series to set you up for a successful new year.
This week’s post is inspired by one of my favorite singles to come out of 2023, Optimum by AllttA. Mr. J Medeiros’ sings about being at Optimum, the lyrics got me thinking about past habits that contributed to me functioning at my absolute best. Re-stablishing essential rhythms, structures, or habits from years past builds the foundation for you to kick off your 2024!
In the beginning of the new year, often people lean into “New Year New Me” in attempt to abandon the past and lean into a different “better” person. While I understand the sentiment, I think it’s somewhat misguided. You are uniquely you and can lean into the best parts of you. Instead of starting 2024 by trash talking your past self, I invite you to pause and recall the moments from your past where you were at your best. Celebrate you at your optimum. Then set yourself up to recreate those moments of your best in the future.
Instead of “New Year New Me” embrace “New Year, the Best Me.” Here’s how you do it.
Reflect to a time when you knew you were at your optimum - you were functioning at your absolute best. This is different than just thinking about a time “when life was good.” I want you to take a moment to give yourself some credit for absolutely crushing it. This might have been at work, or in recreation when you just knew you were “in the zone,” or a time when your creativity and innovation was firing on all cylinders, or in a relationship when you were connecting with another person in a way that you hadn’t before. What rhythms, structures, or habits were you utilizing at that point in your life that supported that optimal performance? Be specific about the following rhythms:
Who were you spending time with?
How were you having fun?
What activities were you participating in that brought you joy?
How were you engaging with your work?
What did your exercise routine look like?
What were you putting into your body? This may include diet, substances, etc.
What were your sleep habits like?
How were you investing in your relationships?
Now assess: how many of these rhythms are a part of your life today? Be honest with yourself without judgement. Now consider how you can implement these rhythms into your life for 2024. Here you also need to practice some kindness and realism. For example if you used to spend 3 hours a day at the gym in your 20s but now you have a kid and a demanding job, you likely won’t be able to recreate that exactly. But you may be able to find a gym with a childcare facility on site where you can take your toddler while you get a 45-minute lift in.
You know about a time when you were at your best. Are there any rhythms in your life that you were implementing then that you would benefit from re-establishing this new year? Do what you’ve got to do to be at your optimum and use that as a jumping off point for 2024 goals.
Stay tuned for next week’s post when we talk about how to set goals for the new year!
Interested in taking a deeper dive in therapy to kick off your new year? Follow the link below to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation!
AI Disclaimer: This post is original and written by Kevin Boyd of Future Full of Hope, PLLC. No AI tool was leveraged in the development of this post
