Lower Your Expectations a Bit for a Happier 2024

Lowering Expectations can Decrease Anxiety

Do you get the after Christmas blahs? Or are you like me and breathe a little easier after Christmas is past? Sometimes I feel guilty for being grateful that the “best” time of the year is behind us. But what is the week we are in now?

The Norwegian word for it is called Romjul, but I call the “in-between” week where Christmas is over, but the new year isn’t yet here. For me it’s a relaxing time. A time to take care of myself after all the goings on since mid-November. I enjoy sitting by the fire or in the glow of my tree that is still shining and adding that magical ambience to my room. I stay in my pjs more than I should and only go where I absolutely must.

For me, this is the most wonderful time of year - truly! When I worked full time, I would take this week off when possible, because I needed it. It’s a time to restore my spirit and body. I often reflect on my life and where I am and what needs to change. It doesn’t always mean this will come about, but I do try to look inward and see where I want to go with my life.

Which leads me to what I want to get across here. This is the week where many start thinking about those New Years goals.

When I was younger I would set, SMART goals as they are called, where when making out goals, one gets very Specific with them, makes them Measurable, making sure they are actually Achievable and in a Realistic way and then put a Time limit on them. If you are planning to work on goals, this is a good way to go about it. But this is maybe for another post.

As I’ve gotten older, my goals are not so much rigid and set in stone, but more of an attitude of doing the best I possibly can day by day. This is true of my art, this blog, and my life in general. For now anyway, I am not going to stress (as much) if something gets done or not. Just lowering my expectations a bit. I think by doing this, I will take the pressure off allowing me to be free with doing what I want and when I want. I’m just speaking of myself here, and if you want to set some hard and serious goals for yourself, I urge you to do this.

Goals ARE important, but I suppose what I’m trying to say is that when/if you do make them go in with lower expectations knowing that nothing ever, ever works out just as we planned. For example, when I paint I usually have an idea in my mind of how the painting will look when finished. It never turns out as pretty as it is in my head. It’s the same with goals. If we keep this in mind, we will be much happier as we fail our way forward. We are all a work in process.

So I invite you to share any goals you may have for the upcoming year here and tell us what you do during this “in-beween” week, but as we get into 2024 and when you miss a few days or even weeks of doing what you said you were going to do, don’t despair. You are human and you will make mistakes. The thing is that when we keep trying over and over and over without giving up, something is going to stick. So just stick with it — mistakes, lapses and all.

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year and a beautiful 2024!

Sending my best,

Connie