2011 Resolution Solutions
Keep your Resolutions!
The start of a new year is always a great time to create new challenges for yourself in your quest for a better health, work or
spiritual life. Oftentimes, the challenge to stick with the resolution is greater than the resolution itself. If your resolutions include weight loss, improved nutrition, or more exercise, try these strategies to help you stay motivated when your temptations overtake your willpower:
1. Goal setting is not a one time event, but a new way of thinking and living. Most resolutions fail because they are taken lightly and not written down, repeated or redefined. In order to create new behaviors, you must tie an emotional reason to the goal (e.g. I want to lose weight because I want more energy to play with my grandkids) and then the goal becomes subconscious when it is repeated often and written down. Success psychologists say that 95% - 97% of the people in the world do NOT have written goals and fail, while 3-5% have written goals and succeed.
2. Remember that CONSISTENCY is REQUIRED. In order to get the results you are looking for, stopping and starting your efforts lead to nothing but frustration. The rule of thumb is 21 days—only 21 days for your actions to become your habits. If your resolution is to exercise 3 days a week, you will need to do that only 9 times in order for it to become second nature. Just don’t give up!
3. Commit not to quit. Sounds a lot like something you would tell your child doesn’t it? When things get hard, rise above the challenge and do what it takes to keep your promise to yourself. If you have decided to eat more vegetables but hate the taste of them, use a mixture of seasoning and spices and/or lemon juice to appease your taste buds and commit to pile them on your plate. Want to stop drinking soda (or other carbonated beverages) or smoking cigarettes? Have a piece of gum handy or go for a walk when you feel like reaching for one, but don’t give up on your efforts.
4. Get an accountability partner. Having someone to call when you come close to giving up on your resolutions is absolutely imperative to your success. A friend or relative that you can trust to get you back on track and help you to remember your goals and how you said you would get there will increase your success rate by 95%!
Making resolutions should not be taken lightly. After all, we are talking about your one and only body and your one and only life. Write down your goals, keep your commitments, be consistent and refine them to keep them fresh. An accountability partner will keep you on track when temptations come your way so get one!
Happy New Year!!!
