Personally, I have a love/hate relationship with new year’s resolutions. For several years, I ditched resolutions because they often caused me to feel overwhelmed in January and disappointed by April. I would hit the reset button around June, but by September, all bets were off. Overall, nothing was getting resolved with these resolutions. So, I moved on to adopting a “vision” for each year instead.
For example, the 2014 vision was “MIO: Make It Official!” I wanted to make my (or “mio” in Spanish) business ideas official, and I took every free class I could find to help me get there. 2016’s vision was “Don’t Grow Weary, Grow Well.” It was centered around Galatians 6:9 which encourages us not to grow weary in well doing. I focused my energy on framing a year that included the following: 1. Do things well and 2. Do well things.
“I will become better at being me.”
-Dr. Asha
This year, I am taking a simplistic, yet intentional approach to the new year. I am trying on a new perspective. After months of extensive pivots, growing pains, and holding my breath [read: “all things 2020”], I am ready to exhale. I want to focus my attention on appreciating who I am and where I am. This year, I will become better at being me.
I figured the best way to do this is to try on a new perspective. I don’t want to spend the next year lamenting over how challenging 2020 was or wearing the mindset of deficit and defeat. (Don’t get me wrong, we had some major blessings in 2020. However, it was a mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical struggle to get to the finish line.) Instead, I want to focus on expressing gratitude in every moment and for every moment. Therefore, 2021 is my Year of Gratitude. I’ve even subtitled it “I Won’t Complain” for all of the gospel music lovers out there, such as myself. *smiles*
“I want to focus on expressing gratitude in every moment and for every moment.”
-Dr. Asha
To bring this “new perspective” to life, I am approaching gratitude from the Six Dimensions:
- Physical Gratitude,
- Spiritual Gratitude,
- Mental & Emotional Gratitude,
- Intellectual Gratitude,
- Social Gratitude, and
- Career & Financial Gratitude.
I wrote extensively about each dimension and how they help us beat burnout in Overflow: 6 Strategies to Beat Burnout & Reclaim Your Abundant Life, which was released earlier this year. During our annual women’s wellness conference a few months later, I released the accompanying Reflection journal to guide women in the practice of digesting each experience before leaning toward the next one. (Both would make great holiday gifts for yourself and those you love.)
As we approach 2021, I want my gratitude to follow suit. Over the next four seasons/ 12 months/ 52 weeks/ 365 days, I am imploring myself to see gratitude through the lens of the Six Dimensions. Will you join me?
There are many ways to grow in gratitude. Here are a few we can try together:
- Physical Gratitude: Start your exercise routine with 6 deep breaths. Use each breath to tell your body why you’re grateful. → Learn how to practice deep breathing with the Overflow Kit.
- Spiritual Gratitude: Search for 6 Bible verses about gratitude. Put the verses as an appointment on your schedule (digital calendar or paper planner) a few times per week. Take a moment to read the verses aloud when it’s time for the appointment.
- Mental & Emotional Gratitude: End each day by writing down 6 reasons you are grateful. → Here is some music from my friend and musician Gerald Law II to get you in the gratitude mood.
- Intellectual Gratitude: Lookup 6 synonyms for gratitude and endeavor to use these words throughout day.
- Social Gratitude: Consider 6 people you are grateful for and send each of them a thank you note or card.
- Career & Financial Gratitude: For every complaint you have about work or money, consider 6 reasons (yes, six, phew!) you are grateful. → Try out my 2021 theme song for accountability.
I’d love to hear how you’re growing in gratitude. Leave a comment here and follow me on Instagram @doctorasha to continue this healthy conversation. 🙂
Dr. Asha—speaker, educator, published author, and radio host—is aptly known as the Creator of Healthy Conversations. Her life purpose is to teach the busy and overwhelmed how to live life abundantly. She is an educational consultant and owner of the Temple Fit Company, LLC, and she is the director of Temple Fit Health, Inc. faith-based wellness nonprofit organization. Grab one of Dr. Asha’s recent books and book her for your upcoming program.