The holidays have come and gone, many people are refreshed from their end-of-the-year vacations, and it is now time to get back to normal, right?
Not quite.
As I observe people at the beginning of the year, I find myself noticing characteristics that are anything but normal. As a matter of fact, it’s almost like these people are so transfixed on their New Year resolutions and self-transformations, that they lose the essence of who they actually are. Then they find themselves wondering why they’ve abandoned their resolutions before the end of January.
Their resolutions are never achieved because oftentimes we set unrealistic goals that are so far from our reach that we become unmotivated. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in dreaming big and aiming for things that some would consider impossible, but to achieve some degree of success, there must be an effective, iron-clad plan in place. This is key to not only maintaining our resolutions beyond January, but also setting new ones throughout the year. In addition, we have to devise a plan (to set the goals) that is realistic to our lifestyle.
Below are three common resolutions that many people tend to set at the beginning of every year. Also provided are realistic suggestions to make your resolution a reality.
Resolution No. 1: lose weight
Boy do I know about this resolution – it’s become the story of my life. The key to losing weight is to not look at it from a vanity perspective, but more from a health perspective. Lose weight because you’ll be healthier and your chances of acquiring certain diseases and illnesses drastically decrease. It’s amazing the role that diet and exercise play in our lives – everything from diabetes, hypertension, and even heart disease can be eliminated if we eat right and exercise. Make losing weight a lifestyle change rather than a cosmetic venture.
Resolution No. 2: save money
I’m a firm believer that anything can be accomplished with moderation. If you’re used to shopping, yet you want to save money I would not suggest totally eliminating your retail therapy … doing so never works. Instead, vow to shop fewer times throughout the month and also set a spending budget. Once you’ve reached your budget, there should be no more shopping until the next month.
Resolution No. 3: grow spiritually
Between work and family, life can be so busy that we sometimes fail to take time for our spiritual evolution. If you go to church regularly, plan on reading a devotional or Scripture before leaving for work … this can take all of one minute. Once that becomes habit, maybe move your study time up to 15 minutes each day or 30 minutes twice a week. Anything is better than nothing. Take it from me, you’ll find yourself more spiritually sound and more connected than ever before. Your confidence and strength will intensify tremendously.
Here are additional tips to get you on the right path:
Resolve to do away with resolutions
Resolutions are typically set at the beginning of the year and very rarely does execution of them go beyond that time frame. Plan to do away with resolutions and simply set goals for yourself. Goals have longer shelf life, giving you more time to attain them.
Start small, and then work your way up
Again, moderation is essential. If you want to lose weight, don’t say “I want to lose 30 pounds.” Instead say, “I’m going to lose two pounds,” and then lose two more, then five, and so forth. Before you know it, you’ll have accomplished your goal one small step at a time.
We are all works in progress. While the progression doesn’t always happen as quickly as we’d like, progress is still progress. Here’s hoping you reach your goals for 2011. Happy New Year!
You can e-mail comments to Shannon Williams at Shannonw@indyrecorder.com.
