Trade in those broken resolutions for simple ‘Nudge Words’
Time to reset.
It is now February, the month every year where New Year’s resolutions go to die, be buried and then be miraculously resurrected next New Year.
Don’t be embarrassed or be too hard on yourself if you didn’t exercise three times a week, limit your fastfood taco intake to just 15 a week, become a nicer person, or quit yelling at spouses, kids, co-workers and the random driver whose car has no working blinkers.
Instead, embrace a new approach to improving your life or achieving your goals: Use A Nudge Word.
This is a simple way to, well, give yourself a nudge to do something. The beauty of the Nudge Word is that it’s just a word. No big, long sentences or declarations about what you want to accomplish and how you are going to do that. Instead of making those detailed, solemn vows, you just bring up a single word that provides the inspiration and drive needed to do amazing things for yourself and world at large.
Besides being simple, adopting one or more Nudge Words in February to guide the rest of your year will at least give others the impression that you are still trying, even after punting your New Year’s resolutions after five weeks.
I’m not even making this up. A big-city newspaper asked its big-brained readers which nudge words they have adopted for 2023. So it must be a thing, right? Let’s try a few.
Topping the list, to no one’s surprise, is “reset.” Yep, if you messed up everything you touched in 2022 you can declare 2023 is the year to “reset.” That doesn’t mean you actually change any attitudes or behaviors. It just means you have a Nudge Word. If you are ambitious, you can “reset” your spending priorities by putting tacos #3 on the list, not #1 and #2. You can “reset” your attitude at work by refraining from saying every day, “since a monkey could do my job you should hire a monkey so I can leave and collect unemployment.” Instead, “reset” by saying “hi” to everyone and then calmly falling asleep at your desk.
In the same category is “recharge,” which can mean anything from binge watching five seasons of “Yellowstone” to sleeping for 15 hours to never getting out of your PJs for three days, to sitting in your car alone in the parking lot eating take out tacos as the radio blasts “oldies.”
Another popular Nudge Word is “balance.” This is a good one that can actually work. You “balance” a four-minute walk with four donuts; you can balance the time you spend mindlessly scrolling on your phone with time spent mindlessly watching “oldies” music videos on YouTube; you can “balance” the angst you feel after failing at all your New Year’s resolutions with the warm fuzzy feeling you get when picking Nudge Words.
Life changes, you change, the world changes, so just Nudge yourself to “evolve.” Examples: I’m evolving out of that new diet and into new, much bigger sweatpants; I’m evolving from a cynical troll into a sarcastic humorist; I’m evolving into a loving manifestation of joy and caring and compassion. For my dog. The rest of you bozos can “evolve” out of my face.
Another way to change your approach to life is to take the Nudge to “simplify.” This will allow you to stop cooking dinner in favor of ordering takeout tacos. Or you can “simplify” your life by refusing to answer questions or even talk to your spouse, kids, co-workers or relatives. That last move will also
Nudge you closer to being “chill,” which obviously leads to the Nudge to “joy.”
Since we live in an outdoor wonderland, “explore” would seem to be an appropriate Nudge Word. As in, I’m going to “explore” a pineapple, tofu, quinoa, artichoke and goat cheese pizza (go ahead and enjoy the Nudge to “savor” that treat). Or I’m going to “explore” how good I look lounging on the couch decked out in outfits from The North Face, Patagonia and REI. I will then “explore” Facebook Instagram and share photos of people skiing, hiking, walking their dog, ice skating, climbing and fishing.
After all the exploring and recharging and evolving and simplifying, it seems like “relax” is the next Nudge Word you need. This one is self-explanatory.