New Year’s Resolutions
As we enter the start to a fresh and exciting year, many of us have committed, whether whole or half-heartedly, to the presumed obligatory tradition of “New Year’s Resolutions.” They can range the gambit from the common “I am going to eat better and exercise more…” to the difficult task of overcoming addiction or even restarting some activity you love or never had the time to begin.
Whether it is putting down that cigarette or picking up that school book, you need to have motivation and purpose. This may seem simple, but it is crucial for successfully accomplishing any lasting change. Motivation can come from yourself, someone you love, such as a spouse or child, and even from a lack of ability to do something you have been unable to accomplish in the past. Wherever it comes from, you should keep your focus on those motivators to help drive you towards your goal. Similarly, you want to keep the purpose for this resolution, be it health, financial, emotional, or spiritual, in the forefront of your mind. With the purpose in front guiding you and the motivation thrusting you forward, your rate of success will increase exponentially.
To further solidify your resolution into reality, another process you should add is one of accountability. As with the aforementioned aspects, this can vary. I highly recommend having an accountability partner, such as the person responsible for your motivation, to check on your progress, encourage you, and most of all, to provide positive reinforcement. Stray away from the “boot camp” mentality of demeaning or belittling, because this just instills discouraging and resentful feeling, potentially taking you right back to what were trying to leave behind last year. Another great technique is to track your progress, such as through journaling or a checklist, so you can map how far you have come and see where you still want to take yourself. For any of you out there who need a partner but cannot find anyone to fill that position, please contact me as I can provide accountability or find somebody that can.
Regardless of what you have chosen as your resolutions or how you choose to put them into effect, I highly encourage you to stick true to your commitments, because they will not only benefit you, but others around you. Remember to stay strong and keep accountable, otherwise it is easy to loose your way. Enjoy the year to come, and make it the beginning to the rest of your life. WELCOME 2011!
