Groundhog Day comes from the long-standing German tradition of an animal forecasting the arrival of spring in early February. Every year, on the morning of  February 2nd, communities all across North America watch their local groundhog come out of the ground after a long winter of hibernation. If the groundhog sees his shadow then we are going to be subjected to 6 more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, then spring comes early. At least, according to the tradition anyway. 

Something to keep in mind, however, is that at the end of the day, there is no correlation between the groundhog seeing his shadow and the arrival of spring. Likewise, we tend to place a lot of weight on superficial things when it comes to our own happiness and the arrival of better days. Really, it is up to us to determine the trajectory of our year and whether or not spring comes early. 

Getting Started

There are small things that we can do throughout the day to help us keep moving forward. Last week we mentioned that you sit and meditate on three things: your word of the year, your why, and your best life. Now, let’s start putting those things into action, one small step at a time.  Starting good habits, creating routines for ourselves, and overall practicing self-care are all good ways to keep springing forward.

Creating Routines

Create a routine for yourself. It can and should be a simple one that you know you can commit to following. While the word routine can sound like the same old, same old again, you can create a routine that will help you flourish and progress. An example of a routine like this is linked here. Making a habit of baby steps and progression, no matter how small, will start to help you see the light at the end of the tunnel. Schedule time for yourself and your goals into your daily routine. 

Sticking to your Goals

Sticking to your goals is hard, but so necessary. Sometimes the things we want to do are far above the amount of energy that we have that day. You are not a failure if you don’t make big strides forward every single day. On your checklist of daily tasks, what’s something small that you can do? Is there a pile of laundry waiting to be cleaned that you’ve been avoiding? Or maybe an appointment you’ve been meaning to book, but that’s fallen to the wayside.

Taking care of your health and your environment is important to helping you reach your goals. If that’s all you can muster yourself to do, that’s ok. Self-care is equally as important as all of your other goals.

What is one thing on your checklist that you know you can complete today?

“Bleak sky, winter bites, harsh winds, unforgiving rain… Well, weather isn’t just going to change, but you can find your own sunshine. Chase your happiness.”

― Mystqx Skye