Well, as New Year’s Eve descends on us here in the US, so begins what I like to call “Resolutions Season”. You know what I am talking about…
Now I am not at all saying that making a New Year’s resolutions is silly, or unnecessary. I think any time that people really want to improve themselves (even if it is only for a couple of days), that should be celebrated. I love the idea of a New Year and a clean slate. I don’t know what it is about our attachment to the calendar, but if that’s what drives people to better themselves – I am all for it. I also wouldn’t mind being a sales rep at a gym right now.
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So when it comes to navigating “Resolution Season” there are some key things to keep in mind that will set you apart from the people that fall off the wagon before groundhog day, and the people that actually stick to what it is that they resolve to change.
Keep it Real
If your resolution isn’t rooted in reality just like every other goal you set in life, then what is the point. If you say, “this year I resolve to go to astronaut school”, yet you don’t have a high school diploma – you might need to go check out the definition of a resolution. I know that’s a bit of a hyperbole, but the point is: if you’re going to make a resolution, make it realistic.
There is no “New You”
You’re going to see this phrase EVERYWHERE for the next week or so: “New Year, New Me/You”. I hate to break it to you, but there is no such thing as a “New You”. There is just you. You can’t just escape into a new body or a new life. What you CAN do is change the things about your life that you want to change and, in the end, be “Good as New”. I think when people set the fallacy of a “new me”, they just expect it to happen that way. Like, “I want to be skinnier, therefore, it’ll just happen.” If that was the case, you’d already be skinny. There is work to be done. You’re rebuilding – not replacing.
Shake off the Negative
Of course, with any change in our lives, comes the doubters. Let’s say you resolve to eat better, there will be people that say snarky things like “oh, doing the new year’s dieting again?” – implying that you’ve tried it before and failed. Well, if those people want to be snarky, let them. The main thing is that is you want to change an aspect of your life for yourself, they can be snarky all they want. At least you are trying.
Make Progress Tangible
The most common goal for New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight. People start eating right, working out, and making the biggest mistake you can make when losing weight: watching the scale. When you start a diet and exercise program, the LAST thing to watch is a scale. Sure, you’re losing fat, but you are gaining muscle – your weight is going to fluctuate. Nothing can be as demoralizing as a scale in the beginning of a new routine. Instead, take body measurements and focus on losing inches. Nothing shows fat burning progress like counting inches. The same thing goes for any other resolution – you have to make it tangible. Let’s say you’re quitting smoking, for instance. Get a calendar and mark down how many cigarettes you smoke each day so that you can actually see progress, instead of just knowing (or thinking) that you are smoking less.
Read: Sword and Shield: The Emotional Importance of Having a Sense of Humor
Resolutions are all about change. Sure, we have the same ability to change our lives any time we want, but taking the proper steps and keeping a good attitude will always be paramount to success. From everyone here at I Heart Intelligence, I want to personally wish everyone a happy New Year, nd tell you that I believe there is nothing you can’t accomplish if you put your mind to it.
