No More New Year’s Resolutions

Seriously, no more New Year’s resolutions for me. I firmly believe it’s a setup for failure from the beginning. Instead of impulsively thinking about the things I didn’t do last year that I’m going to to do this year without planning it’s just not going to happen. Instead of looking back on what I didn’t do last year, I’m looking forward to what I can do this coming year.

I’d rather plan on keeping my options open and being aware of opportunities as they come my way. Rather than plug away at a resolution that may not be the goal I actually need to reach, such as losing those last 10 pounds, I should look at the way I am living. I could lose those last 10 pounds but is it the best use of my energy? How about if I stick to my the nutrition plan I designed which helped me get to where I am now. I  may lose the weight by being more diligent or I may just feel even better than I do now. Either way it’s a win for me. Even if  I don’t lose the weight, I will feel better overall.

I want to focus on the wins. I want to look at what I accomplished and be thankful for it rather than beating myself up in a couple of weeks or a month because I couldn’t keep that resolution. Why not focus on the positive rather than the negative? I want to start the year off with a list of my accomplishments and see where I can continue to improve or challenge myself to be better. What did I achieve that am I most proud of within the last year? If I start from there, I am already in a positive frame of mind. Looking at it this way only gives me more confidence that I can achieve more in the coming year.

Think about the things that made you happy this past year and see if they can move you forward this coming year. Ask yourself these questions:

• What has made me proud of myself?
• What is my strongest skill set and how I can use it more effectively?
• What is my strongest relationship and what can I learn from it to improve other relationships?
• What did I do to improve myself?
• Did I let the “junk people” in my life bring me down?
  • You wouldn’t keep junk in your house. You’d throw it away. Do the same with junk people who bring you down. It is another way to care for yourself.

The only “resolution” I will make is to take care of myself. When I care for myself, the people around me are cared for by extension. If I feel better about me, I feel better helping those I love. When we care for each other, the world becomes a safer and more comfortable place. The love you share will return to you.