Don't Give Up On New Years Resolutions!

Life is like a marathon

Don’t judge a book by its cover

The early bird gets the worm

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Absolute power corrupts absolutely

Some clichés are about as useful as a lead balloon.

Sorry, I couldn’t resist.

I am the first person to say that I despise clichés and euphemisms. I’m a say it how it is kind of gal (unless of course there is a guy involved, in which case I’m a say it in incoherent gibberish kind of gal) but there is one cliché that I feel people always roll their eyes at: New Year’s resolutions.

But this is one turn of phrase that I actually feel deserves a second chance! (Like the fanny pack!) I hear from people in my life that they are ineffective; they will be forgotten before January ends and that assigning the task of self-improvement to an arbitrary date like January 1^st is destined for failure.

All right negative Nellie’s, be that way.

But I really do think a new year’s resolution is a great idea. I think the reason most people fail or give up is because of the way that they go about them. A lot of people treat a new years resolution like a magical wish. When the final second ticks down on December 31^st some people seem to think that a switch will flip and they’ll instantly have the willpower and discipline of a Navy Seal or the athletic capability of Sammy Sosa or the paper and napkin folding abilities of Martha Stewart.

Just me? Cool.

So on January 1^st, don’t make a wish. Don’t resolve to suddenly be an Olympic athlete, or an astronaut or a competitive whistler. Most people can’t really achieve all those things (unless you are Barbie. She can do it all. In a pink convertible) but you can change a certain habit or attitude to make yourself better, happier, stronger etc.

Whenever I decide I need to change something, it’s usually a vague thought rolling around in my head: blahh I need to save more money but I can’t focus on how to do it. I just know I need to. The idea is in there, it’s just running back and forth like 2-year old and refusing to sit still so I can organize. Weeeeeeeee! So this is a good time to ask some important questions. Take a few seconds and answer these questions and actually write down your response:

•      Why do I want to do this?
•        What is the habit that I would need t o develop/change to make this happen?
•        What do I already do well that I can use to learn and stay accountable?
•        What other resources do I need?
•     What is my deadline? Do I need to break a big goal up into a smaller one?
•         How can I set this up to not be overwhelmed?
• 
  

If you do decide to take on a new years resolution, I do have a few words of advice (from some personal ummm, well, they weren’t successes). If you think you are starting small, start smaller. Trust me. You have time to expand your goal but you won’t be overwhelmed once you get into it.

Focus on the process. It’s easy to get caught up in an initial wave of excitement and then free fall to earth like the Wylie Coyote when your initial efforts don’t produce immediate and amazing results (what do you mean I didn’t lose 10lbs overnight?! I had a salad last night!) So focus on the process and develop a greater competence of the actual activity, habit or skill you want to ultimately achieve.

Have a clear purpose. Be clear on what you want to achieve not simply an idea. Resolutions to eat better, get fitter, be happier, or relax more are doomed to fail because they aren’t specific. The more specific you are, the more likely you are to succeed. Describe your goals and resolutions in a way that will allow you to track your progress and measure your success (hello milestones…and my subsequent embarrassingly huge Essie nail polish collection).

Forgive your failures. Your setbacks and failures won’t define your success in the year ahead but how you respond will! Everyone slips up so don’t let those setbacks mean more than they do. Reflect on why it happened, make an adjustment and then channel your inner John Wayne and get back in the saddle!

My resolution this year is to take at least 3 seconds off my last half-marathon time in my upcoming race in April. I also want to focus controlling my temper, I tend to be a wee bit of a reactionary. 

What are your New Years resolutions?