New Year’s Resolutions
Should we make them? How long will they actually last?
When we think of resolutions where do our minds automatically go? You may automatically think of what you want to do then become disappointed or frustrated that you failed just once to keep your resolution.
It can be a viscous cycle, January-February: make resolutions, get into a routine, feeling motivated! March-May: Life gets busy, jobs, spouse, kids etc. Our routine becomes more intermittent and our enthusiasm wanes. May-August: end of school, summer vacations. Our New Year’s resolutions seem something of a past life and we slowly start to except that they may not happen this year. September-December: school, holidays, relatives, Christmas. Our Resolutions have disappeared with the warm weather and we have settled for yet another year of not doing what we resolved in January.
There are a couple things we have to remember when going through this process. First, we can set and reset resolutions at any time we want during the year. Second, resolutions need a plan and an end goal. Third, there may be going to be setbacks and/or obstacles that will deter you from staying on track. Don’t become frustrated or discouraged!
Resolutions = goals = time = patience = consistent hard work = achievement
Start small with your resolutions. For something to stick it has to become a habit, and a way of life like waking up in the morning and brushing your teeth. Sometimes we make resolutions with the idea that they will be made and met in the same day or week and when that doesn’t happen we get frustrated and give up. For something to become a habit we need to repeat it and make it a part of our routine.
Suppose your resolution is to be healthier this year, think about what that means. Break it down, set up some steps to achieve it not just during the entire year but day by day, week by week, month by month.
Reaching your end goal takes planning and it takes time. Your resolutions have to go from the paper you wrote them on to a plan on a calendar and a vision in your mind and finally into reality. A wise man once said that if being great were easy everyone would do it. It’s easy to be mediocre and it’s easy to make excuses. Being great and achieving what you want this year is up to you and only you. Let go of the fear of failure.
Do not look at the shortcomings you will have this year, because you may fall off the wagon. Look at them as a learning process and adjust so that you can move forward to reach your goal without having setting yourself back because you stumbled a little.
Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed, I have just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
There is no better way to become who and what you want then to overcome the obstacles that keep you from getting there.
As you write down your resolutions and set your goals and make your plans, remember, you will have good days and you most certainly will have your off days. Moving forward is what matters.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure…” – Marianne Williamson
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