Ever wonder how to make worthwhile resolutions that you can actually attain and feel good about in the process?? Here's my homemade strategy for making the next 365 something to rave about:
1) Ask yourself, "What do I care about, have convictions towards, or have daydreamed about for my life?"
The key here is to identify desires, hopes, goals, or beliefs that you hold that you want to move towards. Remember, if you say something matters to you but you do nothing, the reward (positive or negative) that you get from inactivity is greater than the perceived reward you'll receive through activity. Ex: If you have a fear of change, your desire for comfort may outweigh the perceived benefit of moving towards your goal. This may play out in the case of an employee or agent who wants to work for an office with good morale and camaraderie but they're scared of leaving the familiar.
2) What's the next step that you could comfortably move towards and be able to implement naturally into your life?This step is about getting your feet in the water. Don't make it harder than it is. If your goal is to get back to your college weight, resolve to take 10 minute walks every evening. The resolution would be the 10 minute daily walk (the behavior change), not the end result (back to your college weight).
3) Build in a reward for following through with your resolution.For many, this may be simply feeling good about doing something that matters to you. Think of it as good "self-care". You matter and have worth, and you're worth making goals and working hard for. Allow yourself to feel good about what you accomplish!
4) Ditch the guilt!!!
If you steer from your resolution, forget about the "yesterdays" and focus on the present. If you set a goal for regular daily walks, but you miss a whole week, the week doesn't mean it's undo-able. Simply recommit to your goal and feel good about being able to chart through new territory (staying true to what you'd like to implement into your life).
5) Remember, resolutions are about adding value to your life.
If you do the things that are inherent to your goal, you will eventually get there. For example, to get to a certain weight, you'd implement regular exercise with eating more whole fruits, vegetables, and made from scratch foods. Find out what you have to do to reach your goal, and make those particulars your resolutions.Don't make the end goal your resolution, or you may be taking on more than you can chew. Plus, each step along the way is a resolution in itself that should be celebrated!
So, what would you do for yourself if you got serious about yourself? It's never to late to "seize the day"! If you can tell I've been thinking about exercise, that's because I'm training to run the Austin Half Marathon the second week of February. For those of you who can't imagine yourself running any length of race (trust me, I didn't either, and neither did my husband, who ran his first marathon last summer) check out ActiveRunners, a group for runners and those wanting to get into the running (or just plain healthy) lifestyle.
Have a Happy 2008!
Sara - This is great advice. The guilt is the big one for me, and . :) Good luck with your training AND the marathon.
Jeff
I try to go by the Hebrew calender..... that takes all the problems with
new resolutions being made and then broken down the line....
The Hebrew calender is replete with symbolism about our salvation,
redemption and how we walk out being good disciples of our Messiah....
God bless ya, Sara!!
=-)
I believe I can fly.....
Okay...that may be possible if I weren't so darn tied to not get on an airplane LOL! I have to do them in small increments....but I did quit smoking one year ago come the 13th. <<<<<<patting myself on the back here>> >>>>>
Good luck in the marathon! I'll watch. :)
Hi Dan!
I don't focus on time per se, other than setting lose goals that I'll feel good about reaching. I think when I'm running half marathons, I'm just happy when I finish (lol), and if I run the whole thing. However, I've been reading a bit about how running interspersed with walking works exceptionally well and can even be gentle on the clock. It's just amazing that our bodies can do this sort of thing...
Linda,
So true!! Can we just hide our head under a pillow? (as close as we're going to get to putting our heads in the sand, ostrich-like!)
Hi Faith! I think guilt is a common struggle... a life-eater! It can just ruin joy.
Missy, GREAT!!! If you're hitting the pavement, I'd love to have you as a running buddy some day, if not at the Austin!! (Jon, who's running the marathon, unfortunately runs much faster miles... I think my pace is somewhere around 11 minute miles, but Jon is in the 9's (if not high 8's! Don't quote me! Is it those long legs of his??) We should conspire for an event some day...
Hi Jeff! Thanks for the encouragement! This is my second half marathon, the Pacific Shoreline in Huntington Beach was my first (February 2005). That one was a great one to start with, because it never had more than a gentle slope. I looked at the La Jolla marathon, but the race course was crazy hilly. I am expecting hilly out of Austin! Yikes!
Don't let that guilt eat you up. Guilt ruins more todays and tomorrows than maybe anything else. Should have's, could have's... ugh!
Lane, WOW!!!! Way to go!!! I've never done a marathon, and never have done 18 miles! My feet would fall off, for sure. Darn it, are you sure I have to train? ;) Ok, ok, out the door, yes, that's liquid sunshine, but no, no one knows why it's gray...
Rich,
Yes. I am claiming originality. heheh This question has many ways of interpretation. It's certainly original to me (I didn't subcontract out my writing) and I am truly a Bellevueite (as compared to living in an alternate city). "Original" can also allude to many other things, such as the first, that which is true of its nature, "original" as in the true "heart" of Bellevue... Or are you saying my blog title sounds like a ketchup ad? "Original BBQ sauce..."
Hi Alex!! Many blessings to you too! I was aware that the Hebrew calendar is not a set calendar, meaning that the months change according to year, but I'm not as familiar with calendar meaning, unless you're talking about feasts, celebrations, etc? Of course the time period of a "year" for our current New Year's resolutions is completely arbitrary, we could decide to set monthly resolutions, and they're never individuated from our person-hood or daily path. In that sense, New Year's resolutions are spiritual for me as well, and play more of an overarching theme for my spiritual growth. I can say, "I desire to grow more loving this year" and break it down into tangible goals that I'm led to fulfill, such as how I connect with my family or what I do with my money. For me, it's not about the "shoulds" or the "legalism" so to speak of doing particular things (I think those are life squelching vs. life affirming) but about truly becoming the person who would do those things naturally... And for me that is certainly very God centered and dependent.
Dear Celeste,
Well, lets see here (and way to go on quitting smoking, that is not an easy feat!!) I'm pretty certain there're a few spectacular marathons/half marathons in your local area. In fact, Jon and I have been conspiring to run in one... So that takes care of the flying ;)
We don't have any particular dates set, it's really a matter of what year, but we should get together when we come out!! (See, I'm saying "what year", so there's no immediate hurry. Jon's been running for four years before he did a marathon. When he started running, he struggled to do even 5 minutes... two minutes... )
On another note, there are much less painful hobbies to take up, such as skateboarding, hehe ;)
Maybe you are more Messianic than you think, sis............
The Feasts are so FULL of symbolism that it is scary if you don't realize that in the bible...God Commands that 3 of them are to be celebrated...and He gives BLESSINGS for doing it.....
Much like the preachers tell us that tithing is the way to blessings......and curses are given by those who don't..... because they are robbing God......
BUT you have to be convinced about the feasts thing..........it isn't for everyone.....
Just try not eating ANYTHING with yeast for one solid week..... then go and find a place and celebrate Passover...... (At the proper time of course).....
No bread, bagels, toast.... cereal..... almost the whole breads food group is eliminated..... and LOTS of canned goods and dairy products too...... BUT...the results are astounding..... Your skin is brighter, clearer.... you loose weight.... and your bodies whole internal system is cleansed......
Does God know what He is doing...or what?
;-)
Sara, Nice summary on how to make all your dreams come true. By the way, how'd you do in your race? Mike