You did it again, made a resolution right? Here are ways to help you stick to those promises you made to yourself for the coming New Year!
New Year’s Resolutions come to the thoughts of most of us, even if only as a momentary consideration, when we crack the shell of another New Year. For those of us who take self-improvement seriously, the New Year is a time to assess our past performance of the year before, and to determine what steps need to be taken this year in order to ensure progress on our evolutionary path.
Some of the most common resolutions are: improved health, weight loss, and career advancement, along with a myriad of other personal unfulfilled desires. It is important for us to nurture these resolutions as if they were baby birds, freshly hatched, and not allow ourselves to abandon them after the first few weeks.
New Year’s Resolutions are twofold in that we prove to ourselves that we have follow-through and can accomplish our intended goals; and secondly, that our efforts will yield the desired results. As the months unfold, those baby birds of good intentions could become huge albatrosses around our necks if we don’t care for them properly.
For instance, “What!” you say, “A workout at the gym after my 10- hour work day today! Am I in my right mind? The fastest way to kill a resolution is to become one’s own unmerciful dictator in achieving your goals. If we ignore our feelings and their call to “Cease and desist!”, then we run the risk of a creating an overwhelming demand on ourselves that will be the fastest way to turn off the intended desire and simply accept things as they are, no longer wanting to try.
Our foremost responsibility is giving our bodies, minds and hearts what they call for in the moment. The way to settle the conflict of “do” or “don’t” is through the feelings. Being mentally flexible when the feelings rebel prevents those good intentions from making us a prisoner of an overly demanding ego. We would be more willing to hold onto our resolutions if we don’t become enslaved to them.
If we give ourselves permission to not do something, many times the desire will return and we’ll say to ourselves, “Well, that won’t be so bad after all.” In that case, we just want to assert our freedom and when it is granted, the desire returns.
What’s wrong with a splurge once in awhile? A little piece of pleasure (whatever it may be), sprinkled amidst a rigid routine? Occasional indulgence is not cheating. It is a win/win situation for both sides of ourselves — the disciplinarian parent and the wayward child. Deprivation is one of the main reasons why resolutions get left by the wayside. So, give yourself a break once in awhile.
The occasional indulgence will not lower your standards. You still can maintain your resolution, be true to your word, and value the indulgence as saving you from dropping the ball all together, so to speak.
This year, let’s make a resolution to be kind to our feelings, for they are telling us how to give the best nurturing and care to all those baby bird resolutions, so that in time, they can become wings of success!!
Identity Magazine is all about empowering women to get all A’s in the game of life — Accept. Appreciate. Achieve.TM Every contributor and expert answer the Identity 5 questions in keeping with our theme. As a team, we hope to inspire and motivate ourselves and inspire you to get all A’s.
What have you accepted within your life, physically and/or mentally? What are you still working on accepting?
Being patient with everything!
What have you learn to appreciate about yourself and/or within your life, physically and mentally? What are you still working on to appreciate?
I’m an individual and make up my own mind about my life.
What is one of your most rewarding achievements in life? What makes YOU most proud? What goals and dreams do you still have?
I am happy to be able to work at what I love — writing and helping others. Of course, I always strive to be better at it every day.
We all have imperfections, so we think. The truth–we are all perfectly imperfect. What are your not-so-perfect ways? What imperfections and quirks create who you are–your Identity?
The key is to continue striving for a more perfect state.
“I Love My…” is an outlet for you to express and appreciate all the positive traits that make you…well… YOU! Sharing what you love about yourself will make you smile, feel empowered, and uplift your spirit and soul. (we assure you!)
Identity challenges you to complete the phrase “I Love My…?
I love my life!
