I have some news that may disappoint a few of you:
you didn’t become someone else at midnight.
I know… BUMMER, right?!
I used to think that New Years worked that way. I’d design all these goals and complex habit systems, convinced that if I just created enough structure and intention I could work myself into a completely different version of me. I’d read a few books on habit change and goal setting and was really high on that supply. My journal even said “You don’t find yourself. You create yourself.” on the cover.
Oh, 2009…
Then I’d fall miserably on my face. Disappointed in the weak version of myself that I couldn’t strong arm with the discipline that “experts” were telling me all successful people have.
13 years in fitness, a dozen certification courses, a master’s degree and a few hundred clients later I can definitively tell you: lasting change doesn’t work that way.
Sure - you can strong arm yourself for a while. You can follow someone else’s template for a while. You can try to mold yourself into someone else for a while…
Over exercising, restricting calories, forgoing every pleasure in the pursuit of an abstract aesthetic goal that you didn’t even give yourself (sorry to say… popular media gave it to us all).
But eventually, you are you. The stress of work, or too many birthday parties, or vacation, or you lose someone you love and BAM - the old patterns come right back.
What do we do?
What actually works?
Personally, I have found that the general guidance and focus of mainstream fitness, wellness, and “happiness” are missing the mark.
What if your focus this year was wellbeing?
Yes, wellbeing. Creating a lifestyle that fosters states of thriving.
What if this year your objective isn’t to change yourself?
What if it was to meet yourself, as you are, with respect, care, and curiosity.
To give that person (you) what they need to thrive. To grow. To blossom.
And why?
Because our world is in trouble.
WAIT, What!? You want me to focus on wellbeing because things are messy!?
Yes. I said what I said.
When humans are in a state of wellbeing they’re better problem solvers, collaborators, and communicators. They’re more creative, experience fewer biases, are better listeners, partners, parents, and friends. Together, those things make us more resilient - - and right now, we need some resilient, thoughtful people to help us sort out some big problems!
Regardless of what you care about: if you’re well, you’ll be better for ‘it’.
That’s it. That’s my manifesto for 2025. I want you, me, and every rational, good person to build radical wellbeing so we have the resilience to make things better.
What things?
Maybe it’s your family. I know a lot of families are in trouble and our youth are struggling. Do you want to be better at showing up for yours?
Maybe it’s your work. If your work is meaningful, and aligned with your values, and it’s solving some challenges in our world. What if you had better clarity of thought?
Maybe it’s your community. Some of the most impactful people I know are working at the community level and I adore the adage “think global, act local”. What if you showed up more open to the people relying on you?
Maybe it’s the climate. That’s a big one for me… one I don’t pretend to have answers on. But if you do I want you to have the resilience to work on them.
Maybe it’s your own health so you can live this life to is absolute fullest (and yes, that is enough in my book).
Doesn’t matter what.
Being well will make you better at and for those things.
The Wellbeing Revolution
That’s why I’m launching The Wellbeing Revolution. An online community dedicated to fostering radical wellbeing. What’s Radical Wellbeing? It’s pursuing a state of regulation, alignment, authenticity, and wellbeing so that you can foster change in yourself and your world.
So you can show up well and do good work.
What if a year from now you…
Went to bed feeling satisfied with your day and woke in the morning excited to get started with the next one?
Were consistently eating well, moving your body, getting good sleep, and had built a lifestyle that actually worked for you?
Were better at setting, managing, and reinforcing your boundaries to protect your time and energy for what actually matters to you?
Knew the difference between influencer nonsense and good, sound health advice?
Did it all in a community of like-minded people on an online platform that’s an alternative to toxic, algorithm-driven social content designed to exploit you?
THAT’S The Wellbeing Revolution.
And I hope to see you there.