How NOT to Break your New Year’s Resolutions!
Here we are mid-January — and how many New Year’s resolutions have you broken so far? 🙂 Or have you even made any? I find there are generally two resolution camps that people fall into; over-committing to big goals they dream of following through on, but ultimately fall short; or, “why bother, I know I’m just going to beak them anyway.”
So here’s a suggestion: Be in a third camp. It’s great to set the vision with big picture goals that we want to strive for and attain. When they are true to our heart’s purpose they inspire, motivate and keep us moving through the inevitable lows. However, it has been shown that for sustainable change to actually occur and stick, it is much more effective to take bite-size, doable chunks that will keep moving you in the direction of your larger goal. For example, if your big vision goal is to “ get in shape”, start with a little something, anything, that gets your body moving every day. It’s the movement that is key, and doing something that involves movement daily. Apply this principle to any of your other big vision goals. Diet? Don’t change everything, have some fruit instead of that muffin in the morning. Take your tea or coffee without sugar. Set it up so you will succeed. I’ve seen more people fail every year when they say they are going to change everything. You are trying to change habits and some research indicates that three months can change a habit. Take it bit-by-bit and add to your goal slowly over the course of the year.
Another suggestion to help with the big vision goals comes from one of my favourite blogs, brain pickings. This is a list from some of the best writers/thinkers (past and present) that is both inspiring and entertaining:
Self-Refinement Through the Wisdom of the Ages: 15 Resolutions for 2015 from Some of Humanity’s Greatest Minds
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=13eb080d8a315477042e0d5b1&id=f6bd07d79a&e=37faddb469
And remember, if you miss one day you haven’t trashed your resolutions, you just took a little break. Pick it up again the next day. Remember the Tortoise and the Hare. Slow and steady usually always wins the race.
Dr. David Carson