It’s no surprise to regular readers that I’m not a resolution kind of gal. I prefer the 100-Day Challenge, the birthday goal-setting, the random “Today I’m gonna make a change” type stuff. But because it’s the start of 2015 and that’s feeling like a really exciting time for a bunch of folks (myself included), I’ll come close to talking about resolutions in the shape of “Better You.”

This is a test I give myself when dealing with stressful situations, when tempted to react rather than respond, and when getting focused on where I’d like to be, personally. I ask, “What would the best version of Bonnie do in this situation?”

Sometimes the best version isn’t someone I can access. I’m too stressed out. I’m too stuck in my to-do list. I’m too wound up by the drama of the situation. So, then the question becomes: “What would a *better* version of Bonnie do?” Sometimes better is enough.

We sometimes get stuck in a loop of not being our best selves. We — creatives — tend to be experts at beating ourselves up. I’m not sure if it’s our desire to please others, our drive to prove we’re good enough, or some strain of perfectionism, but it’s a common theme in pretty much every artist out there. When it comes to how hard we are on ourselves, we’ve become masters at it.

So, I’ll ask you: How would the better version of you treat you, when you fall short of a goal? It’s the end of 2014 and maybe you predicted, planned, and worked toward being at a totally different tier than where you’ve landed by now and you’re taking stock, redoing your goals for the new year, and giving yourself a healthy kick in the ass for where you “failed.”

Stop that. The better version of you would likely say, “Cool. I did my best. I didn’t slack. I controlled what things I could and moved those things forward while releasing those things that are totally out of my control. I know what I can do better next year, and I’m gonna be more aligned with the better me, going forward.”

Let’s choose a gentle start to what will be a legendary year. Let’s celebrate the best of who we are, minimize the monkey mind, let go of self-doubt, and release the fear that holds us back from doing what the Better Us would do. Whether it’s getting your tools in shape, creating content to showcase yourself to the buyers, doing more networking with confidence, surrounding yourself with passionate collaborators, or pushing yourself to improve your craft, start leaning into the Better You.

Start every day being the best Better You that you can be. Some days, you’ll do better than others. But if you start every day looking to *choose* better, the year can only be spectacular, one choice at a time!

Bonnie Gillespie is living her dreams by helping others figure out how to live theirs. Wanna work with Bon? Start here. Thanks!

Originally published by Actors Access at http://more.showfax.com/columns/avoice/archives/001917.html. Please support the many wonderful resources provided by the Breakdown Services family. This posting is the author’s personal archive.