Get Set For A New Year Of Personal Challenges

The New Year brings with it opportunities for change, growth and re-invention. As the clock strikes midnight, you can look forward to a brand-new year.

No-one knows for sure what lies ahead, life can be a bit like a roller-coaster ride and the next twelve months could bring quite a few different personal challenges.

How you choose to face the obstacles in life and go about overcoming these challenges could be your stumbling block or your key to success.

Make a New Years resolution to set yourself clear goals and be steadfast in your approach, make positivity your new best friend and resolve to face up to the difficulties in life.

Accept that ups come with downs and that personal and workplace challenges are part and parcel of the rich tapestry of life.

Draw on experiences (both good and bad) to help you learn, move forward and most of all embrace this life, we’re not here all that long in the grand scheme of things!

So, let’s all up our game and explore the personal challenges that could really have an impact on our lives.

Feeling good and looking good are closely linked.

If you want to tone up and slim down then why not make a New Years resolution to finally find the time to look after your body in the manner it deserves?

If the gym isn’t for you then don’t put yourself through the hassle of an induction and feel compelled to sign up for a year’s membership you can ill-afford.

There are other ways to get fit and the key to success is to find a method that not only suits your personal circumstances, but that you also enjoy.

Exercise has been proven to lift the mood, but if you’ve had a busy day and faced tough workplace challenges, working out might be the last thing on your mind.

However, if you make exercise fun e.g. join a Zumba class or meet friends to run (with a little gossip thrown in for good measure) you are likely to not only improve your fitness but also gain a brighter outlook on your life.

Take a look at our exercise for less article for some other exercise ideas which don’t rely on visiting a gym.

Suddenly overcoming challenges might not seem quite as daunting as you first thought.

You might not have the skills to become an astronaut or the fitness levels and surplus cash to join an expedition to the North Pole but this is a big wide world we live in – have you seen enough of it?

Backpacking around the world is not for everyone but even just rediscovering your own city can be a revelation and you might even fall in love with the place you live all over again.

When you are facing difficulties in life it’s easy to think it best to just hide away in your home, take solace in your television and open another pack of hobnobs.

Switch that kettle off right now and accept that reality TV is not actually reality. Reality is that world outside your window.

Start small, visit the new restaurant that opened nearby (you have been meaning to try it out but just hadn’t found the time).

Get some friends together and go for a bike ride. Swap the soggy sandwich from the local store for a home-made picnic at a local park or beauty spot. Visit a local museum or art gallery, browse nearby bookstores, the possibilities are endless.

When you’ve re-discovered your locality expand your explorations further.

Resolve to visit a new town every month, who knows what you might find?

If you’re facing challenges at work and fancy a change you could open the door on new opportunities.

Just looking over pastures new can be inspiring and enough to make us see there are other prospects and openings, the obstacles in life don’t need to halt you completely, there are alternative routes.

What is this fabled “me” time we hear so much about? And why has no bright spark figured out a way to create it, bottle it and sell it at the local store in time for Christmas? Hold the champagne, I’ll take a bottle of “me” time please sweetie dah-r-ling.

Make a New Years resolution to give yourself more attention, care and kindness.

For some reason we think it’s OK to treat ourselves badly, to berate ourselves for mishandling workplace challenges, to assume the obstacles in life are somehow our own fault.

We would never treat our nearest and dearest in that way. If they came to us worried about challenges at work and difficulties in life we would listen and offer them support and maybe a warm and friendly hug.

If we can do that for others surely, we can do it for ourselves?

Overcoming challenges takes perseverance and determination, if you don’t succeed first time don’t just assume you never will.

You are not a loser, accept the personal challenges that come your way and be more considerate to yourself.

This also means making time for enjoyment, what do you like to do?

Be it swimming, painting, running or reading, make time for your past-time. Doing the things we love helps us to lead a more balanced life.

We can empower ourselves through learning new skills and meet lots of interesting new people too!

The key to success is to make simple changes in your life that will help you to feel content and open your eyes to the possibilities and opportunities that exist.

Whether you want to improve your fitness, widen your social circle, get a fabulous new job, learn new skills or explore a city, country or even the whole wide world then you need to start with a plan.

How can you achieve your goal? Break it down into simple steps and start to formulate a plan of action.

We all have the capacity to live a long, healthy and happy life – if we choose to.

Make the right choice and strive to make this New Year your best year yet.