8 Key Dimensions For Annual Self-Renewal

The New Year is an opportunity for self-renewal. The old year has gone and it's a chance to welcome fresh opportunities. Think of it as a wake-up call.
 
Your body, your mind, your career, and your relationships will break down if you don't pay them due care and attention. At the start of every year, you should take the opportunity to review 8 key interlocking dimensions of life and then choose at least four dimensions for renewal – that is your spiritual self, your physical self, your emotional self,  your mental self, your intellectual self, your vocational self, your social self, and your financial self.
 
Self-renewal means a way of reinventing yourself – it's a rebirth and it's something you need to be intentional about. Now is the right time to start the reflection period to look back on what you have learned in 2022, what you have accomplished, and how you would like to move forward. Follow our posts during 2023 make renewal an essential goal for 2023.
 
Here are the eight key dimensions for you to consider for 2023.
 
Your Spiritual Self
 
Your spiritual health is at the very core of who you are. It is also a big part of why you do the things that you do. And if you don't renew your spiritual health you are going to battle with a dull blade. It can leave you at risk of stress bordering on burnout, and you might feel listless, apathetic, and cynical.
 
The reason I touch on spiritual health first is that it's often the one that is overlooked. Overlooking it, however, will eventually trip you up. Your spiritual health provides you with a broader sense of purpose and builds on the foundation of your values. But you can't do that without self-renewal because renewal will motivate you to re-evaluate your purpose and your values. If you don't change within yourself, you will have extreme difficulty in moving forward.
 
Your Physical Self
 
Looking after your physical self is important because it can influence the other areas of your life. If your body is exhausted, your mental and emotional self will be not far behind. And when they are suffering, your other dimensions of life will also suffer.
 
You can't be productive and pursue your goals if you aren't looking after your physical needs. While your other needs constantly evolve, your physical self needs good sleep, regular exercise, and proper nutrition as a minimum. Remember as your activity levels change, so do your nutritional needs. So, cater to your body properly. What areas do you need to renew relating to your physical self?
 
Your Emotional Self
 
Your emotional  self requires meaningful connections. This was a particularly challenging component during lockdown when people were socially distanced and unable to connect in person. However, it showed how the human spirit can overcome isolation because people used technology in wonderful ways to maintain connections with their loved ones…from online board games to sit-down meals over video chat.
 
You need meaningful connections to keep you grounded. More importantly you need to pursue relationships that edify you. And if there are connections that drag you down or upset you, you should consider how you can improve them or at least re-evaluate their meaning for you.
 
Renewal is a constant evolution and not everyone will remain in your life permanently. Growing away from people is common but don't cut someone out who is going through a difficult time.  Address those chronic problematic relationships first.
 
Your Mental Self

In the main, mental health encompasses your social, psychological, and emotional wellness.  It influences how you feel, think, and act throughout your life while determining how you relate to others, cope with setbacks, and make decisions that can change your approach to life. In short it relates to your mindset as you journey through life.

People need to look out for their psychological wellness. Under your mental wellness review the positive indicators that show you that your mental wellbeing is balanced. Sometimes people are so desperate to escape the mental tetter totter they have ridden all day that they have developed several ways to switch them off. Two ways people do that is to turn the television on or scroll their phones.

That isn't switching off your mental clutter.  While these activities may be relaxing, depending on what you look at, they aren't renewing your mental space. The best way to renew your mental capacity is through an activity that allows you to relax, rejuvenate, and restore. That means doing something different than you normally do for instance you could take up a hobby, go for daily or weekly walks, or look at ways you could spend time in meditation.
 
Intellectual Self

Your intellectual self connects the dots as to how your brain functions and its cognitive role in governing how you live, learn and carry out your responsibilities. It allows for learning, flexibility, opportunity, creativity, imagination, playfulness and openness. Are their areas where you need to change habits, learn new skills or become more open and flexible? Reading books, taking up an on-line course or artwork, or letting your inner child play are examples of renewal approaches.
 
Vocational Self

Vocational wellbeing is about engaging in work, career, or occupation for which you are qualified, has meaning and purpose for you, you enjoy doing and you continually strive to do it better.

Do you need to search within yourself and discern the kind of work or career that best fits with your personality and that has meaning for you? Do you view your occupation or business as a service to others, no matter what it entails or what role you hold? Do you continue to find purpose in what you do and if not, what will you do about that?
 
Social Self

Social Wellbeing relates to your ability to connect with others, the support you receive from them, and a sense of belonging with them.

Social wellbeing often brings the need for nurturing an environment for building relationships, both in your family and elsewhere. It impacts the way you interact with others through social media. It relates to how you develop positive working relationships and how you promote community civility.

Are your relations with others positive? Do feel a sense of belonging within your family, social network, work or community? What impact are you having on others – is it positive or might it need improvement?
 
Financial Self

Simply put financial wellbeing is about managing personal money and material resources by meeting day-to-day financial and material needs, building a strong foundational base, establishing long term financial goals, and working towards achieving them. It also means a being a good steward over all of your resources.

Do you need to review your financial wellness, debt accumulation, savings for a rainy day? Are you a good steward over all your resources?
 
As you begin renewing yourself in each of these areas, you start to trigger growth which leads to a major change in your life. Your ability to manage yourself while striving to do better allows you to rise above the fray of daily living. And, when you renew yourself in in at least four of the above eight dimensions you will live a more fulfilling life.
 
If you are seeking more support as you travel through the eight dimensions consider joining our FORTIS Membership found here.

​As always stay safe, keep healthy and continue becoming the best version of yourself.

Richard
Richard Fontanie

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