It may be my age, but time seems to be moving a lot faster than it used to. It seemed like only yesterday that we were ringing in a bright new year. Not that I am complaining it’s just an observation. I like the start of each New Year with the sense of fresh new challenges and the opportunity to fix what did not work the previous year or simply do better. It’s why we are all so fond of New Year’s resolutions. Many of us want a second chance, we want to set some positive expectations or goals that we seek to achieve for at least the first few weeks or months of the year. Yes, it’s a reality that many of us also do not manage to keep our New Year’s resolutions, but I am still a fan of making one anyway, especially when it relates to my health or my family. Not a thing wrong with setting a reasonable goal for yourself that is focused on improvement. So go for it, make a New Year’s resolution. Note however that it needs to be reasonable, while I love lofty, audacious goals, I don’t want to set myself up for failure. I would like to have the weight that I had at age 16, but it’s not going to happen, talk about audacious! So my more reasonable resolution is to lose 10 pounds this year. Consider this tip one; be reasonable and realistic in making your resolution.
Another tip that helps in maintaining a resolution is finding some way to establish a method for accountability. How do I stay on track? That may vary from person to person. In my case sharing my intent, objective, goal or resolution with a friend helps. They may choose to join me in my efforts (many of my friends need to lose a few pounds anyway) or they may provide encouragement and support. Obviously if I have informed my good friend that I am working to lose a few pounds she would not be making offers of baked products and other high calorie items that would jeopardize my success.
Finally be reasonable with yourself. If you have some failure, don’t give up, don’t beat yourself up, keep trying. Track your progress and fix what you need, to stay on track. Of course as you see progress or when you achieve your objective, celebrate or reward yourself. When I lose my 10 pounds I will not be rewarding myself with any baked goods or chocolate (a few of my favorite things), but I will be spending some time in Dillard’s
Resolution may be defined as a formal expression of will, or intent. I recently read that the word resolution is currently in the top 1% of lookups and is the 56th most popular word on Merriam– Webster.com. I am guessing that many are not just trying to define, but to “do” the word.
