As the year comes to a close, the tradition of making your New Year's Resolutions stares you in the face. It's a time for all of us to look back at who we are and what we have done. It's a time for us to look forward at who we want to be and what we want to do and accomplish in our lives.
A New Year's Resolution is a commitment made by someone trying to change a habit or part of their lifestyle. Usually it is something that is meant to change life for the better or what is perceived as better. With the coming of a new year, it is a symbol of rebirth and a great time to make a positive change to one's life. The concept of a New Year's Resolution has been around for hundreds of years.
And for hundreds of years many of the annual self-improvement plans are broken. Some resolutions are never really started while others make it a few weeks or months before being dropped to the wayside. Quite often it is the difficulty of change and the comfort and ease of just keeping things the same that causes us to fail at the resolutions we make each year.
Many of us make one or more of the following "Top 10" yearly resolutions
1. Spend more time with family
2. Get fit
3. Lose weight
4. Quit Smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit Drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organized
Change no matter how good it might be is a hard thing to do. Many of us live with bad habits and bad situations but because it is easier to just keep going we never make the effort for real change. The New Year and the chance for resolutions and change give us all hope but most of us don't do what is required to make the change.
If you find yourself making one or more of these resolutions each year only to see it never be accomplished, here are a few helpful hints and tips to try and really make the positive change you desire.
1. Write down your goals and resolutions be detailed in what you want to do and get. If you want to lose weight, how much. Don't just say be skinnier, but say I want to lose 10 pounds or 1 pound every month.
2. Post your resolutions Once you have them written down put them somewhere you will see them every day. Hang it on the mirror or above your desk. You have to keep reminding yourself what you are trying to accomplish.
3. Find pictures or sayings that show you your final goal. If it was to make more money, what were you going to do with it? If it was to get that new car, find a picture of that car. If you wanted to lose weight to buy that new dress, place the picture of it next to your resolution. It's much easier to keep working if you know there is a reward at the end.
4. Be realistic Set a goal that you can actually achieve. Becoming the starting quarterback for your favorite NFL team might be a great goal and a lifelong dream but are you really in the position to get there? Can you really lose 50 pounds this year? Making small achievable goals allows you to have success. Success breeds success! Once you are successful at achieving a resolution, it will be that much easier to accomplish another one.
5. Find a partner or group that has made the same or similar resolution. Having someone to talk to and help keep you on track is a HUGE bonus. It becomes easy to rationalize or quit on ourselves, but if you have someone relying on you to be there for them and help them succeed it will keep you on track and going strong.
Achieving your goals and making resolutions that are attainable is not an impossible job. Just follow a few simple rules and you too can be having success making positive change. And don't forget, it doesn't have to be January 1 st in order to make a change. Be open to possibilities and let change happen.
Don't dwell on the past or the future, as the wise Kung Fu master once said, "The past is history, the future is a mystery but today is a gift that is why they call it the present!"
One day at a time, one step at a time we can all succeed.
Think about it!
Michael Tomberlin is a father of 6 and has been teaching and coaching at the High School level during the past 11 years. Michael has been interested in Health and Wellness for many years and has written a website (www.healthylife-healthyplanet.com) devoted to helping others improve their health and the health of the planet they live on. Having adopted 5 of his children from Child Protective Services after they were born addicted to drugs, he has a keen interest in supplementation and its uses in maintaining and increasing health while avoiding the traps and side effects of prescription drugs. Michael welcomes your thoughts, concerns and questions. You can contact him at michael@healthylife-healthyplanet.com.
I liked Michaels tone and excitment as he encourages change for 2009. He shares some well thought out, helpful hints and adds some humor to them as well. I will be using this for my moms group this week!
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