2021 Dreams

2021! Time for more reflection! Though, instead of reflecting on the past year, I’m reflecting on the future, and the things I want to achieve.

They say resolutions are kind of useless and I sort of agree, because a resolution isn’t really a goal. It doesn’t have all the trappings of a properly set goal. On the other hand, I think setting goals is kind of useless, too. Setting a goal is saying like… well I’m going to do this thing… but when the time is right. There’s room and excuse for you to stall.

Me? I’m about manifesting and setting habits in motion. I know, I know. What is “manifesting?” Why, when you think the word “manifesting” does it come with kitschy sparkles and a voice that indicates bullshit and mysticism? Because, essentially, it is. It’s complete bullshit. But somehow, it works for me. Manifesting for me is less… doing the witchy energy thing and more… stating I’m going to do something and then doing it. Stating I am something, then being it. For me, manifesting and habit making go hand in hand.

When I say, “This year I am going to get my daily step count up to ten thousand,” I’m manifesting that I’m going to do that, and I proceed that day or the very next to start walking every day and building that habit up. When I say, “This year I am going to do the low FODMAP elimination diet,” I bought and set up my low FODMAP journal so that it started with the new year and have been keeping track these last four days. When I say, “This year I’m going to be able to easily lift one hundred fifty pounds by roughly June,” I start lifting weights the very next day. When I say, “This year I’m going to write something that means something to someone,” I start writing every day. When I say, “I’m going to document my journey with Crohn’s disease,” I start doing Tiktoks every day that show my progress and the things I’m doing to treat my disease. There’s no waiting for the right time. There’s no stalling. You just do it. You just start the habit.

Maybe it seems like hokey bullshit, and maybe it is, but “manifesting” (cue sparkles) is my way of saying, “I’m starting this habit today.” Now, I will say, in some aspects, I do “manifest” (sparkles) things that are out of my control. For example, when the election was happening, I told my wife we were “manifesting”(sparkle) a Biden win, and that she couldn’t say anything that sounded like an endorsement or call of a Trump win, otherwise there would be bad juju or whatever. So, sometimes it is pure mysticism. But for the most part, “manifesting” (sparkle) is just doing the thing.

For me, these manifestations or habits are only what I want to achieve in the first six months of the year. After that, who knows? I feel like six - heck, even three - months is enough time to re-evaluate what I want out of my life and to start “manifesting” (sparkle) new things. The idea that we have a whole year to do shit… that’s too long!!! That’s why you stall so much, that’s why you never start your habits. One thing that goal making got right is having a deadline. My thought process is just that you make that deadline tomorrow. You start that habit tomorrow (or today if you have time). A year is just far, far too long. It’s three hundred sixty-five whole ass days!! That’s a lot of days, of course it feels overwhelming!

When you “manifest” (sparkle), you get rid of that overwhelming feeling because guess what, you’re doing the thing now. No waiting, just doing. I suppose it's very much the same as doing affirmations. Stating “I am.” Except instead of them being like “I am beautiful” or “I am worthy,” it’s more like “I am doing the thing.” You are now. You are doing it. You are beautiful, you are worthy, and you’re starting this new habit immediately.

If you are having trouble starting new habits, whether because a goal is just too much, or the whole idea of a year feels overwhelming, maybe try “manifesting” (sparkle) instead. Instead of giving yourself a deadline, try starting immediately. Even more so, don’t worry about what the end is, such as “lose 25 pounds” - worry about what the habit is, such as “walk everyday.” This also tends to make it less overwhelming for me.

As 2021 comes to us, make habits, not goals. Manifest, with all your sparkly, hokey, mystic bullshit. Give yourself the best opportunity to succeed. You’ll find yourself achieving more and doing more. You’ll be able to create more habits, which, with any luck, will make your life better.