Resolutions…no…Accomplishments

31 Dec 2008 1 Comment

by crazysoccermom in health & fitness, misc. ramblings Tags: Change, Goals, motivation, New Years Resolutions, stop smoking, Success, Weight loss, will power

Five years ago, I took a final puff of my cigarette, and as the clock struck midnight I threw it on the ground and stomped it out with the toe of my stiletto boot. That was my last cigarette. That was the end of my slavery to wasted money, unproductive smoke breaks, repeated bouts of bronchitis, and smelly clothing. I had made a New Years resolution, and I was determined to succeed.

Fast-forward to today, and I can proudly say, “I did it!” But so many times, we make resolutions that we don’t, or can’t keep – so what is the difference? If you want to lose weight, exercise more, spend less money, keep your house organized, or stop drinking so much – is there a formula for success? Is there a way to assure that you don’t fail?

Whether you make a resolution on December 31st or any other day of the year, there is one simple factor that determines its staying power…motivation. Call it will-power or determination, its your reason for making the resolution that will ultimately cause you to win or lose.

Just because it is New Years Eve, many of us, on the spur of the moment, make some grand announcement of a change we are going to make in our lives. We put no more than 5 minutes of thought into it, and often pick something that we think other people might want us to change. We have no plan of action and no support system in place. We seem to think that when the “crystal ball” drops at midnight that something magical happens to transform us. But really, the only thing that has happened is that we’ve set ourselves up for failure.

On the other hand, if you have something in your life that you truly want to gain control over, you must have a game plan. It doesn’t matter what day of the year it is, if you have a strong enough desire to succeed, you can do it.

The first thing you have to do is determine your motivation. Perhaps you want to quit smoking because your father has lung cancer. Maybe you want to lose weight to influence your overweight child. Maybe you need to start saving money to buy a new car. Find something that you can turn to when the going gets tough. Seeing your father go through chemotherapy will be pretty strong motivation. Keeping a picture of your dream car in your wallet might impede your thoughtless spending. Ask yourself, “why am I doing this?” If its not a good answer, then perhaps you should rethink your goals.

Second, have a plan of action. You can’t just decide to lose weight at midnight one day and expect to miraculously drop pounds a week later. This takes alot of planning and research. If you want to lose weight, you need a nutrition plan and an exercise schedule. If you want to get your house organized, you need to make a cleaning schedule and a blueprint of where to store things. You can’t just arbitrarily expect things to happen on their own. Think of your resolution as a job, and you need an employee handbook.

Last, and probably most importantly, you must have a support system in place. This might be as simple as enlisting your friends and family to be your cheerleaders. Having them remind you to eat healthy and praise your progress as you drop pounds might be enough. However, that could also backfire. If you begin to feel like you are changing only to please them, you might rebel and give up. Perhaps you need to use your religious faith as your support system. There are lots of motivating Bible verses like:

Philippians 4:13 “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

John 15:5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Prayer might be the one thing that holds you together. Ask for strength and a positive outlook. If you meditate, concentrate on what you are trying to accomplish. Surround yourself with helpful items, maybe putting motivational phrases on the refrigerator, buy only healthy foods, keep your running shoes by the door, or tape deposit slips for your saving account onto your dashboard. Whatever helps, do it!

Last but not least, keep your chin up! Expect to succeed, but also expect it to be difficult. If you flub up, don’t give up. You are going to have times when you backslide. You will eat too much one day, you will skip a workout, you will take a drag of a friend’s cigarette, but its not the end of the world. Wake up the next day and keep truckin’!

Today is New Years Eve. There is no law that you have to monumentally change your life today, and it most certainly is not a magical night. But, if you prepare and work hard, you can accomplish your goals. You will see that it is not change, but accomplishment that is the true magic!