So we’re two months into our New Year theme: “A New You in Two Thousand One-Two.” And you promised, yes you did, that you would absolutely stick to the resolutions this time around.
Now I ask you (and be honest) how committed are you to those resolutions and/or how long did you stick to them? No need to hang your head in shame – you’ll see my face down there too. That’s why, when I started losing my 113 pounds fifteen years ago, I gave up that self-defeating concept. Instead, I became a founding member of my own Resolution Revolution as I have found, through experience, that resolutions don't work. For example, (and I'm sure there are many of you reading this who can relate) for years, I made a resolution to eat better, move more so I could lose my extra pounds. Twenty-four hours later, I'm sitting on the sofa for hours stuffing my face at a Rose Bowl party. So then my own game starts in my head: procrastination. Why start now when I'm going away for Martin Luther King weekend? Why start even then when I'm going to a Super Bowl party? I never ever seemed to get "started" and those new year's resolutions began to fade away along with my size 10's.
If you've nodded your head even once, I invite you to join my revolution. Simply reframe the word “resolution.” Instead of a noun, make it a verb and an adjective. RESOLVE to make better food choices. RESOLVE to be more active. RESOLVE to practice portion control. RESOLVE to learn the skills of time and stress management. RESOLVE to spend more time with friends and family. RESOLVE to make time for the things which you value most. Practice this every day and your RESOLVE will be so strong, you will make the healthiest choices effortlessly. There will be going back. Your focus will be on what’s good about your life NOW, not what it’s lacking or what needs to change.
Finally, no longer will you look at each new year as a cue for evaluating your failings. What you will see is a blank calendar of opportunities to continue adding to the enhanced life you resolved to create. George Eliot said "It's never too late to be what you might have been." So allow me to toast that new you that's in progress in two thousand one-two.
Next up: Did I relinquish my right to have goofy-silly-fun now that I'm eligible for senior discounts?
