5 Tips: How To Be Successful In The New Year
As we enter the new year, the anticipation builds, and it's natural to feel a bit of pressure. Like many, I use this time to review unaccomplished goals (we all have a few we didn’t achieve) and think about how I’d like to start the new year. Because the truth is we all hope January 1 will give us a fresh beginning. A chance to reinvent ourselves, accomplish our dreams, and live the life we deserve. And while that’s certainly possible, there are a few tips to learn how to be successful in the new year, physically and emotionally. So, let's embark on a journey to illuminate your inner self, ensuring you radiate positivity and accomplishment throughout the months ahead and beyond.
Spoiler alert: This is your motivation piece to remind you that you're capable of achieving anything you want!
5 Tips: How To Be Successful In The New Year
1. Become a student for life
One of the most profound lessons life has imparted to me, apart from the five lessons I gained after five years in the photography business, is the significance of valuing continuous education. It's a common pitfall to reach a certain stage and mistakenly believe, "I've learned enough; there's nothing more to discover." This type of mindset creates stagnation. Yet, becoming a perpetual student fosters personal and professional growth. It invites you to step beyond the confines of your comfort zone to acknowledge the immense investment of ongoing learning. And each nugget of knowledge contributes to your growth, expands your capabilities, and fortifies your resilience. So, I encourage you to soak up every bit of information within your reach, whether it's exploring a new hobby, learning a new skill, or any pursuit you desire and watch how your life unfolds.
2. Do more of what brings you joy
Remember, this is the year to bet on yourself. Or let’s broaden that concept. This year and every year following is your chance to live your life according to what you want. You are the owner of your own life and have the power to create an external reality of your desires. But the key is raising your vibrations and doing what you love. What sets your soul on fire? What propels you to move forward? Life is about embracing the ups and downs and balancing them with what makes you truly happy. Perhaps that looks like slowing down to enjoy your morning coffee, hiking with a best friend, imagining and creating different worlds with your children, or gifting yourself a photoshoot. A photoshoot serves as a reminder of your intrinsic value, uniqueness, beauty, and strength. It's an invitation to let go, journey within, and forge an unbreakable connection with the incredible force that is you. Therefore, seize this moment to do what you love every day.
3. Self-reflect through journaling
Did you know that some of the most influential historical figures used the power of journaling to shape theirs and our futures? It's not just a coincidence. Remarkable minds like Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Charles Darwin, Marie Curie, and Frida Kahlo documented their thoughts in daily journals. But what’s the excitement all about? Journaling allows you to self-reflect, release what’s no longer serving you, improve your internal dialogue, and jot down bursts of creativity to develop what you want to achieve. Through my journaling sessions, I came up with “The Beyond 40 Revolution”, where 40 women over 40 photographed for me to transform the power of aging into something seen as beautiful, cherished, and a privilege. It allowed me to make a positive impact in this world in a way that felt very authentic to me. All it required was a notebook, pen, and a commitment to a consistent habit to discover the power to delve within, identify my desires, and bring my dreams to fruition. And you can do the same.
4. Live with wellness in mind
One of the best ways to learn how to be successful in the new year is to prioritize your health and well-being. This article wouldn’t be about empowerment if it didn’t include a snippet about taking care of you. While I personally feel the image of wellness may look different to everyone, there are a few golden pillars to follow:
Adopting a healthy diet
Engaging in regular exercise
Prioritizing quality sleep
Cultivating supportive relationships
Developing effective coping mechanisms
Now, the last pillar refers to how you handle life’s inevitable waves of stress and pain. What do you do to ground yourself? Meditation, positive self-talk, deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, visualization techniques, a comforting hug from a loved one, or creative expression like liberating yourself with a boudoir photography session. Determine your toolbox of coping mechanisms so you can show up as your best self this year and every year following. It will help you find and hold onto joy no matter what life throws at you.
5. Learn to love who you are
It's a fact that our childhood lays the foundation for the beliefs, patterns, and stories that shape our existence. Every one of us carries the weight of traumatic experiences that influence our perceptions of self and others. However, it's also a fact that, regardless of the past, you possess the transformative power to rewrite your narrative. You can discover how to love and accept yourself to embrace who you are authentically, unapologetically, and holistically. Yes, there will be days when you won’t like yourself, and that’s okay. Even the most confident people have insecurities. However, you can silence that inner critic, figure out what limiting beliefs you’re holding on to, and let yourself be seen, heard, and valued. One of my favorite ways to do this is, of course, through a photoshoot. With a day tailored to you, including receiving pampering, professional hair and makeup, and guidance from yours truly, you change the narrative by allowing yourself to step outside the shadows and embrace who you are: flaws, beauty, a past, a future, not yet lived, and everything in between. It serves as a powerful testament to shedding the layers of pain, inviting healing within, and reconnecting to the ultimate badass you’ve always been.
How will you approach the new year?
While this may be a complex question, I encourage you to look within and ask yourself, “What no longer serves me?” “What can I leave behind to become the person I want to be” and “What part of my life will change so I can fully embrace and love myself as I am?” Sometimes that’s freeing yourself from limiting beliefs and thoughts, saying no more often, creating and maintaining boundaries, and learning that you hold the key to the door of expansion, endless love, and life-enhancing opportunities.
Since you already know I’m a photographer, you also know how much I believe in the power of one photoshoot and how it creates a magical ripple effect. I’ve seen countless lives changed after they permitted themselves to move in front of the camera and give themselves a day to celebrate who they are. Once they receive their results and see how truly beautiful they are, their insecurities fade for a moment, and they feel empowered to translate the same effect to other areas of their life. It’s an extraordinary moment to witness, and I’m grateful I can be the person to guide my clients to reach that feeling of positive transformation.
Wherever you are, know it’s never too late to take your resolutions to the next level. You can learn how to be successful in the new year, physically, emotionally, and mentally. But it’s time to take the first step, leap, and trust that everything will work out, and I’ll be there guiding your hand, whether you feel called to book a photoshoot, through this platform, or in spirit.
With love,
Judith