The Power of Expectations
The Power of Expectations
Accountability Partners, Time Will Tell Bin, The Pygmalion Effect and Yeti Water Bottles
Can you believe January is almost over? I have vowed to ease into the New Year because I know I can get overwhelmed quickly. Just this month alone I’ve been asked to join the Board of a wonderful non-profit, bake soft pretzels for a school fundraiser and create a logo for a loved one’s business. While they are all amazingly good ways to spend my time, I had to kindly and respectfully decline one or more of them. It is tough disappointing others but knowing that I’m prioritizing my self care is worth the temporary discomfort of difficult conversations. I’m pushing back hard against overwhelm and it feels so good. If you’re wanting to join me and other working moms overcome overwhelm, register for my new guided journaling workshop below. There are only 10 spots!
Write
Did you know that 80% of people break their New Year’s resolutions within the first month? Well, friends don’t let friends NOT make it past January so here’s the plan. If the goal, dream or vision is as important as you say it is, then it might be time to call in some backup. This will not be easy and at some point in the year, you’ll low-key ‘regret’ doing this because no one likes being called out. But it will also give you the best chance at being successful.
Write down the name of one friend that can serve as your accountability partner but don’t stop there. You also need to write down exactly what you’re asking them for and how frequently you need a check in. It’s absolutely critical that you choose someone you trust but most importantly, respect enough to listen to.
Accountability Partner Example
Friend: Allison
Request: Encourage me to put my pride aside when I get into an argument with my husband and assist me with ways to communicate my feelings to him more effectively
Frequency: Anytime I call to “complain”
Eliminate
When it comes to decluttering, this tip from The Minimal Mom changed the game for me. It’s one of those “Why didn’t I think of that?” moments but maybe you’re hip to the game already. Sometimes there’s an item or two that you are super unsure of eliminating and the very thought of making the “wrong” decision stresses you out to the point where you abandon decluttering completely.
Squash anxiety and keep progress moving forward with a Time Will Tell Bin. It’s a testing bin for those items you’re not yet ready to get rid of. Place them in the bin for 3 to 6 months and then revisit the items. If you never missed it, toss it or donate it to a good home. If you found yourself needing to use the item within that timeframe, reintroduce it back into your life. This way you don’t get hung up on any one item and can keep the decluttering process moving full steam ahead. You get one bin so use it wisely!
Learn
The Pygmalion Effect is a phenomenon in which person A’s thoughts about person B can have an impact on how person B behaves. Of course this shows up in the workplace where a manager believes an employee is not up to the task and treats them as such. The employee then starts to believe they are not good enough and acts just as the manager expected in the first place. A self fulfilling prophecy, to say the least.
It doesn’t just happen in the workplace though. Think about how you interact with the people you love throughout the day. When they leave your presence, do they feel more inspired or defeated? What about how you speak to yourself? Are you subconsciously undermining your self-worth by focusing on the negative? Here’s your chance to do something different and choose to inject some positivity into the people you love. Don’t forget yourself!
Love
Staying hydrated is one of my goals this year and water is not my favorite beverage. I know it’s an unpopular opinion but it also just happens to be true. This Yeti water bottle is seriously helping me stick to my resolutions. It’s got my name on it (personalization rocks), feels good in my hands, fits perfectly into cup holders for easy transport and keeps my La Croix crisp and bubbly all day (I mean, it’s practically water so no judgment please). All I’m trying to say is Yeti water bottles are absolutely worthy the hype. Things I never thought I’d say for $100, Alex…
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Until next time, live and be WELL!