So here you have it. Almost a month into the New Year and many of us have already used our savings to buy booze and cigarettes, we’ve eaten pork rinds instead of quinoa and ceased our Tabata training.
This is one reason I stopped making resolutions way before Luke and Laura tied the knot. Yep. I learned early on that resolutions don’t last beyond Valentine’s Day.
But I do find myself thinking about making some hard changes. (Let’s call it establishing new habits). At this age, resolution lists should be much shorter and easier, right? We don’t have to resolve to start an IRA, find a new career or settle down and start a family.
Here are some I came up with to try:
- Eat healthy/diet/lose weight—what the heck is edamame?
- Exercise—“Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” is now “Tris, Pecs, Abs and Bis”
- Stop Smoking—Check!
- Drink less—I may have to punch faces if I don’t have my daily cocktail.
- Become more organized. (This has been on my list since ★NSYNC was still a band… )
Please ignore my cynical sidebars and use these tips to help keep your resolutions:
Don’t take on more than you can accomplish— You’ll certainly fail if your goal isn’t achievable. Adding 13 daily servings of fruits and vegetables to your diet, losing 60 pounds or running a full marathon by Groundhog Day aren’t attainable. Slowly introduce more fruits, vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. Walk for just 15 minutes in the beginning. Target your weight loss to, let’s say, a half-pound a week.
Sandy always asked: “How do you eat an elephant?” “Well, you take one bite at a time!”
Make the right resolutions—Don’t resolve to take early morning walks if you’re a night owl or vow to read six biographies a month if romance novels are your thing.
Be specific—What does “drink less” or “lose weight mean? Commit to being precise.
Talk About It—Don’t keep it a secret. Tell friends, family members and even online support groups (do chat rooms still exist?) to support your resolve to change.
Reward Yourself—Celebrate every little success by treating yourself to something you enjoy that doesn’t contradict your resolution.
Track Your Progress—Successful people keep logs. Whether you use an App, a spreadsheet, a notebook or a Dry Erase Board, reviewing your progress will help keep you motivated.
Don’t punish yourself if you fall—You’re not alone. Almost 92% will fail in keeping their resolutions. Giving up won’t help you attain your goal. It can take up to 66 days to form a new habit. You fell off the horse? So what? Get back on and start again. Start like today is January 1st instead of November 30th. It is never too late. Do. It. Now.
Or…maybe you should punish yourself if you fall—Adults my age didn’t experience much positive reinforcement. Punishment and humiliation were all the rage in our day. How about negative reinforcement? It works. So, when you fall, force yourself to watch “Redneck Island” or send yourself to bed without dinner.
Don’t make too many resolutions—Pick one. Two max. Work only on those goals.
Or, choose one word. Resolutions are usually based on your behavior, so as soon as you fail, you’ve broken the resolution. Your word can’t be broken because it’s a reminder of who you want to be, not what you regret about yourself.
Successful companies do this to strengthen their ownership of a market (think about BMW’s word, “Drive”) and choosing one word can impact your entire New Year, too.
I love this idea. There are no lists to remember; it’s a single focus; there’s no willpower required. How great is that?
Use the rest of this month to decide on your word. Really think about what kind of person you’d like to be at the end of 2016. You can look at a list of words and (without trying to be cool), select one that resonates with you. Visit One Word 365 for suggestions and support.
Or, you can write a paragraph describing your thoughts, or a list of characteristics you’d like to possess. Then whittle it down to one word that sums up your goal. It can be a verb, adjective or noun. It doesn’t matter as long as it’s meaningful to you. Then practice before you commit next month.
Once you select your word, remember to keep it where you can see it or use daily reminders. They can be on a note card stuck to your bathroom mirror, wallpaper on your phone or anywhere else you’ll see it everyday. Words are trendy. You can get charms that state “Believe”, “Grace”, “Family” or “Faith”. If you own one (and you’ve probably bought one because it signifies some desire within), touch it every day. No one will balk because you’re wearing the same necklace every day. Download an app such as “Way of Life – The Ultimate Habit Maker & Breaker”.
My word is “balance” (thank you Mom). What do you want your focus to be in 2016? We’d love to hear them—just put your word(s) in the comment section below.
