How many times have you ‘started over’? Doesn’t it feel like sometimes we’re addicted to the idea of a fresh start, only to return to the same habits and rituals that we wanted to break free from? Many people start Resolutions for the New Year, only to give up just a few weeks, or even days later.
Resolutions can be a positive part of empowering yourself, of creating meaningful change but when we attempt them without the support we need, it can be a recipe for failure. So, what’s going to be different this year?
Here’s what we suggest:
Rather than thinking what you would like to BE different (your weight, your job, your dating situation, etc), instead reframe the issue as what you would like to FEEL different (“I’d like to feel healthier” rather than “I’d like to be skinnier” and “I’d like to work in a more rewarding environment, where I feel valued for my specific talents” instead of “I’d like to be anywhere but this company!”). In other words, think of the inner change you want to experience, rather than the outer one to help you understand your role in your situation.
Don’t set several big resolutions for New Years. Instead, set 1 small resolution for January, 1-2 medium resolutions for the first half of the year, and 2-3 larger resolutions for the entire year. So, if your goal is to lose weight, maybe January begins with just drinking more water, by February you’re cutting out sugary sodas, by April you’re walking twice a week, by July you have incorporated more veggies and whole grains into your diet and by November, you are working out 2-3x weekly.
Don’t go it alone! Create a support network. If you want romance in 2019, get together with other single friends for a regular night out. Think of matches for THEM, and they’ll probably return the favor. If you want a better job or career, update your resume, go on LinkedIn and make connections. Call employment agencies and ask what companies in our area might be right for your skills – or talk to family and friends about creating your own business!
The problem isn’t resolutions – it’s the WAY we set them that fails. They say insanity is ‘continuing to do the same thing, the same way, expecting different results’. Well, if you need to get in shape or save money or meet a great person, you shouldn’t stop trying to do that! You should just do it in a more effective way. Going ‘all in’ at New Years’ (right after the holidays, when you’re feeling blue, when you overindulged) isn’t the best time to launch a strict diet, and probably not the best time to deprive yourself of anything.
Of course, if your goals include getting in better shape, or losing weight, please talk with your doctor and chiropractor. We want to support your health goals and we might have ideas and supplements to help!
