What would “New Me” do?
By Lynn Westfall @themodemlisa
I haven’t traditionally considered Astrgology in my healing practice but because I’ve been watching him ALOT, In the midst of Virgo season, I've been pondering Rabbi Abe's insights about using this time to move forward, make peace with our past, and set the stage for a new astrological year. This reminded me of the "Super Power" I've written about before: Living an iterative life! It's about viewing challenges and shortcomings not as setbacks, but as opportunities for growth and lasting positive change. But what does that really mean? And what about "growing pains" along the way?
Embracing Change: The "New Me" Approach
Iterating your life is a continual process of experimenting with changes, committing to those that work, and pivoting away from what doesn't benefit you. This also means committing to this continual process and avoiding stagnancy (which I'll be writing about soon as well!). I've decided to start asking myself "What would New Me do?" This doesn't mean I always do what "New Me" would do, but by asking, I'm being mindful that I'm making a choice.
The more I remind myself that a behavior isn't healthy or isn't "New Me", the more I'm recognizing that a change is needed. I don't know if I'm speaking for the majority, but I feel like change was rarely instantaneous in my life. There will be failed attempts and there will be reiteration of changes which is core to continuous improvement. This way of prompting myself when I make a decision, to ask "Would New Me do this? Does this improve the situation?" "Does this benefit my life or others?" "Does this spark joy?", is what keeps me iterating. If you don't recognize the need to change, change may still happen, but it may not be in the direction you desire.
Growing Pains and Personal Transformations
The major positive changes I've made along the way did not come spontaneously; I quit smoking over 10 years ago which ended up happening overnight, cold turkey, but I had tried to initiate that change almost a decade before it happened. I changed my eating habits to a plant-based lifestyle over 7 years ago and that iteration started 10 years prior when I moved from a standard American diet to a Pescatarian diet. I promise I'll share more about these journeys as well, but the important take-away is that they required my continual acknowledgment that change was needed and to stop making the daily decisions to smoke or eat animal products.
During those transitions there were growing pains as I mentioned at the beginning of this post. While moving to a plant-based diet I would swing hard and binge on dairy before giving it up again, time after time. This had negative effects on my hormones and I also feel that the increase in severity of Hidradenitis Suppurativa was also sparked by those large doses of dairy! Eventually I worked past this challenge, I recognized the negative impacts, I saw the positive benefits of veganism and the more I embraced the new, the better I felt! I had to be actively observing my actions and the outcomes they brought.
Active vs. Passive Living: Taking Control of Your Growth
This approach highlights the importance of taking an active role in your personal growth. When I think about becoming a 'New Me,' I'm acknowledging that I'm responsible for making changes in my life.
Many people live passively, allowing themselves to be influenced primarily by others or circumstances. In contrast, living an iterative life means actively choosing how you want to grow and change. It's about being the driving force in your own personal development, rather than simply reacting to what life throws at you.
Sometimes we are forced to be passive in life, like when we are children and sometimes we choose to be passive in life. It's critical not to let passive living become the default. Going with the flow, living in the moment, and being present are important concepts to understand in life to bring fulfillment and peace, but there is a balance between these passive times and more actively participating in life. If the flow is taking us over the waterfall, we better start swimming! If it's a painful moment we're living in, using techniques to actively address that pain will improve the moment.
Balancing Self-Improvement and Self-Acceptance
While striving for growth and change is important, it's equally crucial to balance this with self-acceptance. The 'New Me' shouldn't be a rejection of who you are, but rather an evolution. As you ask, 'What would New Me do?', also remember to appreciate your current self and the journey that brought you here. This balance ensures that your growth comes from a place of self-love rather than self-criticism, making the process more sustainable and fulfilling.
Keeping track of these times you make the choice to be the New Me will build momentum! If you're using the GRG Journal to track your symptoms, diagnosis and more, then you already have a great space to add your wins! But just like it's important to track the good health days with your chronic illness, it's important to track both your hits and misses with changes. Reflection is a critical part of an iterative life. Without knowing where we were, are and going, we don't know what to improve, if a change has worked or when we need to try something different.
Today I felt like ordering French fries while I was working. With limited nutritional value, cost, etc. I asked myself "Would the New Me waste the money, time and calories on these fries?". The answer today was still yes, but maybe not next time. When my alarm goes off tomorrow morning I'll ask myself before I snooze. "Would the New Me hit snooze?"