Columnists / Jake Heenan
‘Let’s celebrate the everyday moments we can be proud of’
Who can remember their new year’s resolutions from 12 months ago? I certainly can’t. In fact, 64 per cent don’t make it through first month and less than ten per cent will see it through until the end of December.
This year, let’s think less about the milestones that we want to achieve, and more about who we want to be.
We can start 2023 focusing on ourselves first; how do we want to be perceived by our friends? How do we interact with family and work colleagues?
is needed now More than ever
It’s all too easy to get trapped firefighting our way through weeks; chipping away at projects while other tasks build up, getting caught in the relentless cycle and missing the less urgent but equally valuable things in our lives.
For me, spending time with different people and getting out of my comfort zone are important for me. At least once a month I try to sit down with someone more knowledgeable than me (spoiler alert: they’re not difficult to find!).
There’s not necessarily a tangible outcome at the end of it, but developing my understanding and self-awareness has helped me massively as a professional athlete and as a husband.
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Another great way to step into the new year is to celebrate the little things that we do well. Not just job promotions and birthdays, but the everyday moments that we can be proud of.
In professional rugby, we talk about bookmarking positive actions. If we execute a skill well, we use it as a reference point to come back to when training gets difficult.
In life as in rugby, it is easy to dwell on problems and unfavourable interactions. They tend to consume us more and are much easier to recall.
I am often guilty of berating myself over trivial mistakes, which only serves to stop me from thinking rationally and moving on.
So, this time around the sun, positive mindset is king. It’s an opportunity to reflect on the moments that we nailed. Focusing on the good and enjoying our achievements. Letting go of the negatives.
Here’s to a prosperous 2023.
Jake Heenan is a professional rugby player at Bristol Bears, and the co-owner of Burra on Lower Redland Road and Gloucester Road
Main photo: JMP
Read next:
- ‘The tools needed to run a successful business are synonymous with sport’
- ‘There’s no silver bullet for becoming great in your field other than 100% effort’
- ‘Working in hospitality can make professional sport look easy’
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