So, it is the dreaded time of year where everyone is thinking about making changes. New Year’s resolution time. New this, new that. New plans, new changes. I keep hearing “New Year, New You.” Personally, I kind of like the old me! There have been plenty of times in the past where my life was really awesome, without me having to do anything spectacular or “new” at all. Besides, resolutions rarely last more than 21 days, so we are already almost a third of the way to failure for this month, right?
Not that I couldn’t use some changes . . . I should get up earlier, I should keep the house cleaner, I should stay in touch with friends more, I should be less sarcastic (well, maybe not . . .). You know, the usual resolutions. But nothing about me needs to be new, necessarily. Better? Yes. More _____, less _____. But new? Not so much.
We have all had times in our lives where things were good, hopefully! Can you revive those times? YES! So it is not doing something new, it is just doing things different, or better, the way we used to do it.
So don’t beat yourself up over making resolutions for a “new you” because the old you is probably pretty awesome. Just think back to the times when you felt like some part of your daily life was a bit better, and change just ONE thing in that direction. Did you used to get up earlier and spend quiet time alone before starting the day? Did you used to go to the gym twice a week whether you felt like it or not? Great! Add one of those things back into your routine for a few weeks. Don’t do “all or nothing” because that rarely sticks. If getting up 30 minutes earlier will help you to stop rushing in the morning, or give you more time for reflection and meditation to start the day, then just to THAT. Do that one thing for a week and then add one more thing to make things better.
New Year? Yes. New you? Naaaah. Old you is fine. Just tweak it a little bit!
~ Doneane
Fitness Nutrition Consulting 