The pressure is on. It’s the beginning of a brand new year, and it’s your chance to start fresh! What big changes will revolutionize your entire existence this year? Or, what big changes will transform your life this month? This week? OR…what big ideas will momentarily cloud your mind with guilt over your lack of execution before you completely forget and move on with your life as usual?
New Year’s Resolutions are wonderful in theory. It’s akin to the theory that if you really work hard to make Monday a great, productive day, the rest of your week will follow suit; that the first hour of your morning can set the tone for a fantastic day. It’s the anthem of motivational speakers and motivational memes everywhere you look. It’s an excellent idea, and if properly implemented, really can change your day, your week, your year, or your life.
However, too many of us get a bit too enthusiastic at first, setting too many goals and drastic lifestyle changes that are impossible to stick to in the long-term. Pack-a-day smokers will quit cold-turkey on New Year’s Day, compulsive cookie fiends will swear off all forms of sugar on day one, and chronic couch potatoes will jump right into a grueling Cross-Fit membership.
Sometimes the cold turkey method works, but you have to have some serious mental fortitude and self-control. Some people are able to jump into a dramatic change and stick with it. Most of us can’t, at least not for long.
For big long-term goals to really take hold, we need to break them down into smaller, more achievable steps. A motivational meme I can get on board with is the popular Lao Tzu quote, “The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.” Another great anthem for lasting resolutions is “Progress not Perfection”.
Not to say that starting your morning off right is a bad idea, but if you sleep in and chug coffee as you scurry out the door one day instead of doing yoga and meditating over a daily devotional and chia smoothie, don’t take it too hard. You can still have a good day. If you cheat on your diet at an office birthday party, you can still eat right the rest of the day—you don’t need to give up for the week and eat a gallon of ice cream each night because your resolution to eat healthy is “already ruined”. If you have to walk half the time instead of running, just keep at it. You will improve with each attempt. Pace yourself.
January 1st is just another day. Monday is just another day. You can start fresh on February 1st (and, the gym won’t be so crowded anymore because all the New Year’s Resolution-ers will have already burned out). You can start fresh on August 17th. You can start fresh on Wednesday at 3:24pm. When you start is arbitrary, but making a decision to better yourself is always a good choice. Just remember to be gentle with yourself. Be patient. You got this!
Happy New Year!
SmartMove 