I am most definitely not one of those people that can “think out” a new year’s resolution and stick with it the whole year. Diets, running, stop smoking.…………. The resolution lists are endless.  So endless, that it all seems overwhelming to think that I cannot find something to incorporate into my daily life (sad face). Pondering on all of this I realized that for myself new year’s resolutions does not mean starting and sticking to something at the 1st of every January, but more finding something that works for me, molding, tweaking and changing it so that it improves myself and my lifestyle.

Do I have a resolution for 2019 and where does it fit into my va journey?

On the 1st while we were making food, relaxed by the pool, enjoyed being outside and celebrating the beginning of 2019, I realized that this must be the meaning of a good life.  Being part of something, and surrounded by like-minded, positive people.  For me, all of this boils down to one thing I want for myself in 2019 – BALANCE.

Balance defined by the English Oxford Dictionary as:

– An even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady, a situation in which different elements.

Somewhere during 2018, I felt unsteady, confused, tired and miserable.  I now know I was drained physically and mentally. You can say people did this, my work did this, and my daily life did this.  But is it really the case? I am one of those people that wants to finish a task now, this minute.  Even in writing this, I have to stop myself, take a breath and relies I can go on later. That is why it is called a new day. Start fresh, with an open and sharp mind.  When I feel pressured and stressed to complete/find a solution for something, I think about the Oxford Dictionary – even distribution to remain upright and steady. A few steps I am taking this year to avoid unbalance in my VA journey and general daily life:

  • To make sure that I can handle the timeframe my clients want tasks completed in.  If I cannot do professional work within that time frame, I must speak up.  Honesty = respect from your client.
  • If I realize my client does not fit into my vision and believes, I will move on.
  • Keep doing what I love. I believe I have found my niche market. As a graduate in Logistics, working on mundane, unrelated projects, sucked the energy right out of me, and eventually had an effect on my personal life (as VA`s we are very lucky to be location independent, meaning that most of us can work from home surrounded by our things and people.  Do not let your unbalance take away that joy)
  • When stressed and I see no way to solve a problem, I reach out to other VA`s, they might have a quick solution to my problem or can divert my thinking process in a different direction.
  • When dead tired, SLEEP 
  • When I feel negative, doing something small for someone ells. Their smile makes me feel UPRIGHT again.

LIFE HAPPENS, HOW TO STICK TO IT?

I always thought it a miracle that I am a VA. To have that discipline to wake up, do my thing, balance all my clients and know that they are happy, for someone that cannot even stick to a new year’s resolution for a week, must be a miracle, right? WRONG!  This is where I found my balance, by doing what I love in my everyday life.  Luckily there is a financial benefit to it, otherwise, my balance would have seemed somewhat different. How to keep your balance if life, children, work happens:

  • Switch your phone to sleep mode when going to bed.  There is a reason they call it sleep mode, so SLEEP.
  • When your day feels rushed, and you are losing your ground, stop with what you are doing.  Throw yourself a cup of coffee (always good coffee) and just relax for 5 minutes.  The work will still be there, but your mind will be more refreshed.
  • Try to stay healthy by eating what you know you are supposed to eat.  We learned this at school from a young age, eat the veg, fruits and lots of water. And practice, even if it means taking the steps rather than an elevator.
  • Take a small vacation every few weeks.  Even if it is an asleep vacation for a day, you do deserve it you know!
  • Surround yourself with positive people. When tired, and unhappy, that positive energy from someone ells might just revive you.
  • Plan tomorrow, today.  I always take 10 minutes in the evening to plan my following day.  There are many wonderful apps these days that can help with this.  Wunderlist works for me, I even get an email reminder to tell me if I have forgotten something. 

EUREKA!!!!!!!!!! I have found my resolution.  At last something, I can stick to. When looking at this list, it almost feels like no list at all. It`s more a lifestyle and isn’t that what a resolution is supposed to be.  The quality of being determined to follow through constantly.