January 2024!
An exciting time for those of us, like myself, who enjoy making New Year’s Resolutions.
Yep, I said enjoy!
I feel bad for resolutions, they’re really getting crapped on and I’m not sure why?
To me a resolution is something we have decided would benefit our lives in some way. We’ve noticed at some point that change is needed, and are going to work in that direction.
Yes, change isn’t easy and sometimes it is overwhelming when there’s too much all at once. Think back to the start of 2020 and the pandemic…system overload for all of us! But change is happening all the time; all around us, nothing ever stays the same. We were made to evolve and change.
As a Personal Trainer, I’ve often heard people say they don’t make resolutions because they never keep them.
What? Really??!!
You mean out of 365 days, well lets say 364 not counting the day you resolved, you didn’t carry out your resolution AT ALL??
I am calling bullshit on that one!
So what’s the real deal?…that you will only make a resolution if you have 100% compliance with it?? Did you think that way in school? Dang! I got a B in this class…I better drop out!
I don’t think so.
So why then are we hating on poor New Year’s Resolutions?
I would argue that it’s all in a persons perspective.
Think progress, not perfection.
One of the biggest mistakes us humans make when it comes to our personal wellness is our relationship with perfection.
We have this unrealistic ‘all or nothing’ idea of how things ‘should be’ and when they fall short, as things sometimes do, we conclude that either we are broken (I can’t) or the system is faulty (it doesn’t work).
Neither are true…necessarily. What I mean is that if you decide you ‘can’t’ it will be true for you. If you decide that ‘(fill in the blank) doesn’t work;’ then that will be true too.
Your power is not in perfection, it is in PROGRESS! And your perspective must change in order to see this truth.
Resolutions are just ways of challenging ourselves to make changes that could improve ourselves or our situations, they really aren’t the bad guy.
We are human, we’re going to mess up. We’re going to have off days. We’re going to not feel like it and slip back into old patterns…until new patterns are established.
Us humans are also determined and hard working and resilient. We can do hard stuff, we were designed to. Group hug here!
Maybe it would help to put a reminder each month in a day timer or on a device with a notification; a way of keeping a monthly connection to your resolution.
Or make micro-resolutions; splitting the year into quarters and making smaller resolutions. An excellent way of seeing progress sooner with smaller achievements as well as keeping things varied and interesting!
One of my many resolutions was to get back to yoga.
At the beginning of class one night the instructor asked us to be seated, close our eyes and set an intention for our practice…
Yes ma’am!!! How cool, a mini resolution! I love it!!
In closing I’d like to challenge all the nay-saying-New Year’s Resolutioners out there to give it another chance. Try one of my suggestions above. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Remember progress over perfection…and extend yourself some grace. Being human is being imperfect and that should never stop us from trying to be better.
Until next time,
Embrace the journey and the destination will find you.