It may sound weird, but thinking about yourself as a lobster could be the perfect way to ease yourself into the year ahead. 

January is a weird month, isn’t it? From the cold, slightly miserable weather to the pressure of building new habits and sticking to resolutions, it’s easy to feel a little overwhelmed.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. In fact, if you want to give yourself a bit of space to ease into the year ahead, now could be the perfect time to set new boundaries and regroup. That’s according to Becky Hall, author of the new book The Art Of Enough.

For Hall, who is also an accredited life coach and leadership consultant, January is the perfect time to channel your ‘inner lobster’, aka taking time to step back and grow a shell that will protect you as you navigate the challenges of the year ahead.  

“So many of us feel busy and pulled in all directions for much of the time – sometimes we just have to respond, but other times, we need to withdraw and recharge,” she explains.

To get started, Hall suggests identifying the things that restore your energy. This will be different for everyone: for some, it might be spending time alone being creative; for others, it might be seeing friends and taking part in communal activities.

You’ll then need to work out how to protect the time you need to do these things by setting clear boundaries (aka, your shell).  

“Like a lobster, create a really good boundary for yourself,” Hall says. “Boundaries contain and protect us – they keep us safe and well. They allow us to focus our energy inward sometimes, so that we are better equipped to respond to the demands of life.”

Of course, setting boundaries isn’t always easy – and you’ll need to be intentional about enforcing your boundaries over and over again until they stick.

“Boundaries require effort and intention – especially if you have a tendency to respond to requests from others, even if you don’t really have the time or capacity,” Hall adds. 

“So, this month – decide one thing that you are going to do that recharges you and get really clear about why it’s important for you. This will help you to say ‘no’ to anything that jeopardises that. Think of it as ‘saying no for the bigger yes’ – and this will help you to use your lobster shell to keep you well.”

While the concept of channelling your inner lobster may sound weird, thinking about your boundaries as a kind of shell which protect you and your energy is a great way to visualise how important they are and ensure you’re intentional about setting them as we head into 2023. 

Images: Getty

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