23 vital things to do in your life in 2023
If 2022 wasn't the year you wanted that to be, then it is time for you to release the chains of OLD you!
You can use this holiday season to reflect on 2022 and figure out what you want to change next year.
Here is my list of the 23 most important things it's time to do in 2023 (if you haven't done it yet).
1. Stop comparing yourself to others - only compare yourself to the old version of yourself.
It's so easy to lose when you compare yourself to others, and the truth is that you will feel like a failure when your opponent is someone more successful or even looks better.
The key to your success is competition with yourself!
So make 2023 a year of celebrating how far you came, who you became and who you are!
Just think about it, what you were like 12 months ago? What was your life like five years ago? What was your career or finances like ten years ago?
The version of you now is the one you were dreaming about long ago, so celebrate it instead of killing it compared to other people!
If you feel you are in a worse position than before, think of the lessons you have learned on this journey and what skills you have gained as a result! Those are your assets for life!
2. Find your worth and add the tax to it!
I fell in love with that quote the first time I came across it! I'm not sure where it comes from, but I think it works for everyone! Many things happen in your life according to how much you value yourself: satisfaction from your job, income, clients you work with, quality of people in your life and so on.
Make sure in 2023, you raise your standards so your life levels up, too:
1. Start with just verbalising what you PREFER to have in life!
2. Once you become comfortable with step one, shift into saying, "I'd like...." or "wouldn't that be nice if..."
3. Once you are ready, go bold and say things like "I expect this or that", "I choose..." or "I want it up to my standard, which is...".
And watch what will start showing up in your life! The truth is - you get precisely what you expect in life. That's why it's essential to declare that you know what you are worth and stick to it! Life will test you and throw some breadcrumbs, but whether you accept it or not, that will be up to how much you value yourself and what's the tax on top of it!
3. Say "I love you" more often! Why is this so important?
Because we all want to be loved - whether it is your spouse, child, parent or friend - they all want to hear these three magical words "I LOVE YOU!".
It was something I always craved to hear from my mother when I was growing up, until one day when I realised that if I wanted to hear it back - I should start saying that. And now, in every conversation, every in-person meeting, we end up with "I love you!". It just makes you feel so good, whether you are the one who says that or hears it. It improves your mood, makes you smile and creates that warm feeling in your stomach.
Who is the first person you can now text or WhatsApp, "I LOVE YOU"? Tag them below, too, if you wish!
4. Read for at least 15 min a day something of personal development content.
Don't we all know how helpful and valuable reading is? YES, we all do! So, do you read? And what type of literature do you read?
Reading books is great, but I suggest reading more on personal development because I know it will help you to level up your life more than some novel stories!
And why for 15 min a day? Well, my biggest challenge with reading was that I was expecting myself to read for hours because I used to be a bookworm when I was a child.
But let's put it this way: no one has hours for just reading when they are adults! We have lives to live and things to do!
So permitting myself to read for at least 15 minutes opened up the possibility to do it, and indeed I do it more often at times, but even if it is only 15 minutes a day, my soul is still very happy! And, depending on the content - those 15 mins will be just right to digest some brand new information that my brain needs to ponder.
5. Journal your gratitude, feelings and emotions.
The power of writing is incredible! Yes, we all can say out loud what we are grateful for or how we feel, but the minute you start writing, it activates your brain even more!
Some of my most stubborn clients were refusing to write since they were "too busy" running their companies, travelling the world between meetings and so on...and yet, the moment they gave it a try - they found so much more satisfaction and joy, as well as - CLARITY! Just start with writing every day for a tiny bit. Let's say five things you are grateful for. Make sure you don't repeat them; add your feelings and emotions to them, and you will see how your inner state will change instantly! Next time you are angry, disappointed or frustrated - drop everything and start writing (or typing on your phone in your notes, it also helps) what you are grateful for and watch how all those negative emotions will fade and, most likely, you will be able to find a silver lining right there in that situation!
6. Make it easy to drink more water.
I won't go into all the scientific reasons since I am sure you know about them already! I just will mention that so many people still don't drink more water despite knowing they should - because they make it so hard to do it!
Here are a few tips that hopefully will help you with that: 1. Have a glass of water on your bedside table - this way, it is right there for you the minute you wake up!
2. Make sure the water is at room temperature! It's easier to drink than cold water! 3. Add a bit of flavour if plain water is boring. It could be a lemon, orange or anything else. I love having warm lemon water; sometimes, I have it instead of tea (and I haven't drank coffee in 8 years now!).
4. Have a small water bottle with you at all times! Anything smaller is easier to accomplish for our brain, so a smaller bottle will be seen as more achievable to drink than a large one.
5. Drink water before your meal - this way, you won't eat as much and will add up to your 3 litres a day of water.
7. Trust yourself, your decisions and your choices.
I hear so often people say: I don't trust xyz person. And honestly,- I struggled with trust in the past and must admit, I didn't trust my husband after everything that happened between us.
But the truth is - how can you trust others if you don't trust yourself? Let's go back to me not trusting my husband. After he proposed, I doubted if I was doing the right thing - marrying someone not involved in personal development much when my dream was to create an impact together. So some time fast forward, when I discovered his infidelity and lost my trust in him - as a coach, I instantly knew I attracted him to learn something and see something for myself. We all do that.
We always attract people and events based on our belief systems and fears.
This way, life is helping us to grow and heal.
Little did I know that our journey with my husband would be directly related to one of my biggest dreams- creating an impact with my partner!
After going through 10 months of many challenges and being on the verge of divorce, we started working with other couples and individuals in similar situations, helping them to understand and heal relationships.
Here is my other dream is coming true: to reduce the divorce rate in the world. And we certainly are the ones contributing towards the new statistics - we were about a month away from the completion of our divorce when we decided not to go back to what we had before but start building a brand new, exciting and undoubtedly impactful future for ourselves and others!
So here is the thing, the more you trust yourself - the more you will be able to trust others, as I do now with my husband.
8. Double-check your priorities. Whilst the whole world is hooked on making more money and is going after flashy things, ultimately prioritising wealth over health and fame over relationships... Ask yourself - why not be different and choose to grow and succeed in balance? What is really, really, really (did I say "really"?) important to you? What would make a real difference in your life? What would make you the happiest person in the world? Once you define what is important to you, make sure you ask yourself a question about it daily! For example, my top priority right now in my life is creating an impact and making a difference in the world whilst I am staying healthy and happy. So what do I ask myself daily? First, how can I make a difference today? What can I do towards that? And secondly, how do I stay healthy and happy today? When you ask yourself questions based on your priorities, it will be easier for you to focus and succeed! Without this tool, you will be just reacting to other people's urgencies and demands and helping them to build their dreams instead of yours! 9. Declutter your inner circle. It's important to know who are your green and red zone friends!
Why?
Because your green zone friends believe in you, support, motivate and inspire you, these people you are not afraid or ashamed to be honest, and transparent with because they are your REAL friends and family members. Your values are aligned, and you always have a great time with these people; you feel great after seeing them. You are there for each other no matter what. You nurture these relationships, you look after these people, and you know they will always take care of you.
Red zone people are jealous, not supportive, negative, and not honest with you, and you are not honest with them, too. You roll your eyes when these people call you or when you know you have to meet them. Meeting these people is a challenge in itself. You always find an excuse to leave early or finish a conversation sooner. Perhaps, you don't even call them unless there is a need or an obligation.
So your task is to define who is who: what are your red zone people, and who are in green?
Just divide your page into two columns and start writing people's names from your life in one or another column.
Once you have clarified your green column - send them a message of appreciation and, perhaps, share this exercise with them; why not? Aren't you there for each other to also grow together?
And those people in your red column - well, if you can - stop seeing them and talking to them. If you can't avoid them because they are your family members or co-workers, minimise the time you spend with them.
Undoubtedly the red zone people are making you stronger and more resilient, and so on, but hey - out of nearly 8 billion people on this planet, indeed, you can find at least a few that will mean good for you and will help you grow more positively!
10. Start walking more.
Walking is life! Even if it is parking further and walking all the way or using the staircase instead of a lift, regular walking will keep your heart healthy and mood wealthy! Walking time is an excellent opportunity to reflect, think, analyse, do your affirmations, catch up with your green zone people on the phone, do breathing exercises, or anything else!
Don't make yourself walk for an hour if you spent a lifetime sitting. Aim for 5 minutes, then 10, then....what feels right! My favourite time to walk is 30 min as soon as I wake up. Do I do it every day? It depends on the weather and my daily activities. But I aim to do it; it happens more often than it doesn't. It wakes me up, pumps blood in my body, and energises me for the day, and when I do yoga and meditation after my walking - I feel like a winner!
So, are you going for a walk today?
11. STOP blaming others for offending you, and deal with your inner triggers.
The amount of times people get offended or triggered is crazy! It happens during comedy shows, seminars, talks and many other places.
Listen to this carefully: if something is offending or triggering you, it's not about the people who say some stuff; you are still holding on to the trauma! I know you will not like hearing it, but I never say what my clients WANT to hear. I am paid for saying stuff they NEED to hear!
How dare are you expecting the world to tip-toe around you? The world is here to show you, mirror you, and whisper what must be worked on, healed, lifted, and what you must let go of, understand and learn from! Find a professional that will gently guide you through this journey and finally stop being someone others must be "always careful around".
Even the worst PTSD and deepest depression can be healed; you must be open and willing to work with someone on that!
12. I'd like you to stop pleasing others and saying NO more often in 2023!
Pleasing others is a societal disease, seriously!
There is no pride or goodness in pleasing others, only guilt and, eventually, anger towards yourself.
It's time to open your eyes to why you do it!
Is it because you try to gain more love, appreciation, or recognition? Do you want to be seen as a "good person"?
Is it really how you feel after pleasing others and forgetting about yourself? Of course, not! So it's time to stop doing it in 2023!
13. Declutter your home, desk, laptop, and phone!
First, stop buying things you don't need - shopping therapy is not sustainable! How often have you told yourself - "I have too many things at home / on my desk / in my wardrobe'!
Well, it's time to get rid of things and clutter! As my awesome friend Claire Boscq says, divide all your items into three groups:
1. What you LOVE and you will keep because you use it!
2. What you like but don't use.
3. What don't you use and don't like - this must go asap!
This applies to everything, your phone, your laptop, and your home!
It's time to clear the space physically and energetically!
14. Switch off notifications! NOW!
Aren't you tired yet from all that ping-pang-pong happening on your phone, tablet or computer? All those red dots notifying you about how many unread notifications you have...are they SO IMPORTANT? You know they are not helpful and unnecessary, yet you allow your brain to get distracted by them!
It's time to go to your settings and switch off all notifications that you don't actually need!
The only notification I have on my phone is my phone calls. All the rest - I prefer to pick and choose when I will check any of my social media, messages, or WhatsApp. In any emergency case - people tend to call anyways, so why would I stay in a constant emergency state? I am at the stage where I prefer to create memories instead of reacting to the world's urgencies.
Have you switched off your notifications yet?
15. Start visualising, at least before falling asleep!
Visualisation is a very powerful technique that helps you to get everything you want! Many successful people, including sports champions, use it effectively and to their benefit.
I know the most common excuse of the majority: I don't have time to do it!
The good news is that you don't typically need more than 10 minutes a day, and the even better information is that you have that time every day before you fall asleep! In fact, visualisation before you fall asleep or when you wake up will help you transform your life even sooner because this is when your brain and subconscious are most receptive to ANYTHING! So making a conscious choice to train (or trick!) your subconscious during its weakest times will do MIRACLES to your life!
All you have to do is to ask yourself what you would like to happen in your life and once you are in bed and ready to fall asleep, start visualising like it already has happened! What would you feel? What would you experience? How would it happen? Feel the emotions, expand the visions and if that keeps you awake longer than usual, there is nothing wrong with it! At least you are feeling and experiencing something beneficial for you instead of worrying about random things or bills.
16. Start using positive affirmations to change your self-talk.
Many people still speak to themselves quite negatively most of the time, despite all the available self-help information about this topic!
They say things like: I am stupid, I will never succeed, my life is so hard, I never have enough of..., I am always late,...etc.
In fact, I have an article on LinkedIn that includes a lot of phrases that must be banned from your vocabulary; check it out here: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/negative-self-talk-vs-empowering-one-olga-geidane/.
For as long as you speak to yourself negatively, your life will not change, as well as your mood and state of mind!
And this is where positive affirmations come in so handy!
Just start gently introducing your brain to them with something very easy, not necessarily life-changing, to give it a try:
- Everything always works out for me!
- I always find the way!
- Great things are coming my way!
...or anything else that will make you feel a little bit better. There is one I have used for years now, despite many of my affirmations have changed over time: all I need is within me now! This is the one inspired by Tony Robbins!
My google calendar helps me to use my daily affirmations without missing a day: I set them up as repetitive tasks and mark them "done" as I go through the day, randomly or during my walk, etc.
How are you going to prompt yourself to use positive self-talk and affirmations? Some of my clients place sticky notes around their homes or offices, while others write them down in their journals; it is up to you how you do it, as long as you do it!
17. Start stretching/doing yoga or pilates, even if you have already hit the gym regularly.
And I get you if you feel like this is not for you. Trust me, the very first time I came to the yoga class - I never came back!
It was too slow, too weird, and strange... Not for me, basically!
And then, one day, during the first lockdown, a message came to me: start doing yoga. Since I trust my channelling and intuition with everything, I downloaded the Yoga app and found the shortest version; it was 7 minutes long. I wasn't very keen or excited, but I still did it! Well, now I can do yoga easily for at least 40 minutes and even an hour, and my body demands that if I don't do it for longer than two days!
I feel more flexible and healthy, with better posture, better metabolism, and better mood, and I can relax easier and quicker!
18. Visit a chiropractor at least once a year, even if you don't have any health concerns.
Why? Because your spine is your core supporter in life.
Your spine is quite a complex structure of small bones, cushioning disks, nerves, joints, ligaments and muscles. And all of that is affected every single day in so many ways! I am not a doctor, and no medical institution/person does not sponsor this article.
I speak from my experience of visiting my chiropractor once a year to look after my back and prevent any serious issues.
Surely, your posture when you walk, how you sit, how high your computer is if you work on one and so on is VERY important, as well as stretching and exercising. Still, visiting a chiropractor to readjust your disks or to unlock any trapped nerves or anything else will save you a ton of pain!
Just like you visit your dentist every six months, it is about prevention and looking after yourself!
Wait... You DO visit your dentist every six months, don't you?
19. Create a unique morning and (or) evening ritual for self-care and self-love
And please, please, please don't call it ROUTINE! Routine is BO-RING for our brain! I prefer to call it my self-care ritual, which means it is sacred; I respect it; I do it because I choose to, not because I am forced to follow a routine. It could be like having a hot bath or shower followed by reading a book with the phone on silent, adding meditation, etc.
Here is a little peak into my morning rituals:
- a walk to wake up my body whilst doing my affirmations
- yoga for 30-40 min
- eye exercises
- breathwork and meditating for 20 min with writing notes about what I channelled - visualisation for 10 min - to write my self-reflection and some other journaling.
As you can see, nothing is very intensive there because I prefer it that way, but when I do all that, I feel so great, loved, and empowered that I can do anything in the world! And it doesn't mean I am beating myself up if I don't do something or even all of it occasionally. Life happens. Events occur. Deadlines will make you reshuffle priorities, but I always make sure I do at least something out of the list during some parts of the day, so my inner self stays happy.
What are you going to do? What your self-love routine could look like? And if you have any questions about mine - DM me!
20. Book at least one event a month where you can learn, grow and meet new like-minded people.
Learning about yourself and growing will guarantee you not only a more prosperous life but also fabulous friendships around the world!
Most people fail because their network is not supporting them, so when you go to various events, you expand your inner circle and shift it.
This is how I ended up having great friendships all around the world: in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, etc... All through ongoing events with Tony Robbins, Brad Sugars, J.T. Fox, Bob Proctor, Abraham Hicks, T.Harve Eker, and many more local, smaller networking events and groups.
You will see your life transforming soon once you start replacing having fun at nightclubs with having even more fun at personal development events!
21. Find a new hobby, a new passion.
Ideally, do it to overcome some of your fears and stretch yourself! It can be anything, singing, dancing, public speaking, diving, playing instruments, etc. Why would you do it? For the same reason, when you want to build bigger muscle in the gym - you add more weight to your lifting! To grow and stretch yourself, you got to push your boundaries! If you don't do it - someone else will do it, and it will be in their favour, too! Do you want that?
Last year I got the fear of swimming in the open water out of my system by becoming a certified diver! Well, not quite like that! We were in the Dominican Republic with my husband and decided to stay for an extra week since we loved the place. To be honest, we didn't do that well between us at the time as it was a very challenging time for us in general (more about it soon!). One day I was scrolling through experiences (DM me for more details on how and where I book them) and came across a diving adventure. I froze for a moment and then thought to myself: it's either now or never. PLUS, the benefit was that we wouldn't talk to each other with my husband for some time, which would benefit our sanity! It's a pity I don't have a video of my first jump into the water because we didn't have a GoPro yet, but... I was refusing to dive backwards! I was so afraid! The moment I saw all those fantastic fish and corals and more, I was mesmerised. The first thing I screamed out when we were back to the surface was: "I WANT MORE!".
The instructor and my husband laughed since that's precisely what the guy predicted. He noticed how much I loved the underwater world! AND...To my vast surprise, diving helped us stay sane and bonded us as we decided to certify, including taking care of the diving buddy under the water. So diving enabled me to overcome my fear of swimming in the open water and reunited my husband and me!
22. Pause and breathe. Meditate.
In the world of urgencies, it is very easy to become an emergency responder: constantly reacting and responding to what others want and need from you and forgetting about your soul, body and mind's needs and wants.
I am inviting you to stop and breathe. And take a break from everything that actually doesn't even matter! If you don't wipe those counters - the house will collapse! The world will end unless you send that email at 4:55 pm. You worry if you don't make a homemade meal today, then children will think you are a bad mom... If you don't resolve something right now, then the apocalypse will happen!
The harsh truth is - no one even cares about 50% of the things you do daily! It's yourself who puts so much importance into so many things until you feel very significant and...exhausted!!!
So just stop.
Pause.
Breathe in and out.
Take just 5 minutes of your crazy day and gift it to yourself.
In fact, put a timer on precisely 5 minutes of you and yourself having this private moment.
Use this time to breathe in for 8, hold whilst counting until 8, then slowly breathe out for eight and again, hold for 8.
Do it at least eight times.
One of my clients was going to commit suicide but then remembered this technique we did with him a few times. He is still alive to this day!
And once your mind is much calmer now, sit in relaxed stillness and quietly for 2 minutes (it's called meditation if you haven't done it before).
And then snooze your timer if nothing life-threatening or urgent suppose to happen and give yourself more time. Because your soul, your mind, and your body so need it!
How was it?
See, it's not as tricky or time-consuming - but doing this at least a few times a day will help you to stay more focused and happier. It will also save you from panic or anxiety attacks because you will restart your brain a few times.
23. Set new goals that are aligned with you and who you are!
Have you ever set up goals that have yet to happen? Or have you had them for so long that you wondered why I want this?
So I had a dream to have 50 properties by age 50. And I was getting frustrated every birthday because I had fewer years and wasn't getting close to my goal. Until one day my husband challenged me: "why do you even want that?" and I realised that I had no answer... It was something I adapted, something I named "societal goal-setting" - when you have a goal which is not even yours; it doesn't drive you, not motivate you, and yet you chase it because it's about being a little bit of fitting in what others think you should be doing and overachieving it to rub your ego. The REAL thing that seriously makes me tick is making a difference in people's lives! So I shifted from having 50 properties by the time I was 50 to changing the lives of 50 million people by the time I was 50. And THAT is MY THING! I own this goal!
What's yours?
Could you ensure it is aligned with you, your purpose, your personality, and who you are? Make sure there is an alignment!
I know it can be not easy sometimes, so I run regular virtual events on Intuitive Goal Settings, where we reconnect with your inner self, and I help you receive guidance on your mission and purpose. It is mindblowing and brings so much clarity at the same time! Email me at Olga@newlifekickstart.com if you want a personal invitation to attend one!
How many of these 23 proposed things have you been doing in your life so far? What would you add to this list if you did all of them in 2022? What is the one thing you will absolutely start doing in 2023? I wish you a wonderful holiday season and a magical 2023; make sure you are in the right mindset to make that year a skyrocketing year!