The gift wrap is off all the packages, the need to take aspirin for whatever ails you on New Year’s Day has passed, and we’re staring down the fear and opportunity that a new year brings. The New Year’s Resolution is a time honored tradition of identifying things we want to change this year. Unfortunately, a lack of commitment seems to be the loyal companion of the New Year Resolution.
So this year, resolve to do something different. This year, resolve to make a plan and stick to it! Don’t obsess about the big victory, but rather plan for and celebrate the small successes. Set a goal, make a plan and work the plan. If your goal is to lose 20 pounds during the year, the manageable steps might be to exercise 4 days a week and to fill your plate half with vegetables for every meal. When you miss a day of exercise don’t give up. Pick yourself back up, dust yourself off, and realize that you still got in two days of exercise that week and you’ll get four days in next week. It is our resolve and commitment to the smaller steps that will have an impact. We stay committed to those things that are important to us. It shouldn’t take a landmark event like the changing of the year on the calendar to get us to change. That is as true in July as it is in January. I wish you a resolve filled New Year.