The January 1st method
Who doesn’t want to be better at building good habits and stopping bad ones?
One of the biggest roadblocks we tend to face in improving our relationship with habits is that we find ourselves waiting for the perfect moment to start.
It’s easy to try to rely on special dates like January 1st or even “next week” or “tomorrow” to initiate change.
But what if I told you that you can harness the power of the famed “new years resolution” anytime?
This “January 1st method” encourages us to embrace the idea of a fresh start, promoting the notion that there's no need to wait for a specific date to build positive habits. It’s all simply a construct anyways!
The January 1st method centers around the idea of a fresh start. It acknowledges that when we begin a new habit or attempt to break an old one, we are bound to stumble and experience setbacks. It’s simply part of the process but unfortunately we tend to let that bring us down and lose the motivation to pick up again.
Instead of berating ourselves for slipping up or waiting for the perfect date to start anew, there’s no reason we can’t mentally reset and pretend that tomorrow is January 1st. It sounds simple, but don’t underestimate the amount of mental gymnastics it can take to truly convince yourself!
By adopting this mindset, we free ourselves from the limiting belief that change must be linked to specific dates or circumstances. The power of the January 1st method lies in its ability to grant us the permission to start over whenever we choose, without guilt or judgment. This liberating perspective encourages resilience and promotes continuous effort towards personal growth.
As we hear a lot in the therapy room - one of the biggest obstacles to building habits is the fear of failure. We often hold ourselves to impossibly high standards and beat ourselves up when we fall short. However, adopting the January 1st method allows us to shift our focus from perfection to progress. It’s not about executing to perfection but rather identifying the next positive step we can take.
When we approach habit-building (or breaking) with the understanding that missteps are a natural part of the process, we become more forgiving of ourselves and more motivated to keep going.
The beauty of the January 1st method is that it transforms our approach to habit-building into a dynamic, ongoing process. Every day becomes an opportunity to renew our commitment to growth and positive change. Whether it's reading more, eating healthier, meditating, or practicing gratitude, we can embrace the freshness of a new beginning each day.
Every day offers the chance to start anew, so why wait?
If you struggle with procrastination or building/breaking habits - therapy can help! You can contact Philadelphia therapist Noam Dinovitz at noam@dinovitzcounseling.com or 484 424 7722