New Year New You?

byTFRANTZ

197 followers

5 years ago

Do you make New Year's resolutions? How long do they last? Undoubtedly, hundreds of thousands of people can be heard saying "New year, New me" right now. People are promising to work out more, eat healthier, quit smoking, spend more time with family, or stop some other bad habits. But why now? Why do we need to make these promises to change our lives when we change our calendars? Psychologically, people need time to reflect on their past. As the new year rolls in, many take this time to do just such self-reflection. Unfortunately, they also set themselves up to fail.

The truth is, we will never change until we are truly ready to do so. Just because the calendar started over doesn't mean that we have magically gained this new ability to start or stop doing something. The fact is, we all have that ability every day. If we want to succeed in those changes, we have to be ready to commit to the changes that we want to make in our lives, regardless of when we decide to make them.

Don't get me wrong; there is some measure of truth to the concept of New Year's resolutions. The mind is a potent force. Thinking about the feelings that compel our behaviors and reflecting on when and why we do those behaviors can help us decide if it is time to change them and how we can do so. The fact that it is a new year can add some social or subconscious support to our desire for change. Many people take this week to look back on their past and look forward to where they would like to be five or ten years from now.

People often set unrealistic goals for themselves, and when they inevitably fail to meet those goals, they give up on continuing to try to accomplish the change they desired in the first place. If you put some real thought into the "why" behind your resolution and eat that elephant one bite at a time, you will significantly improve your chances of success. The deeper the problem, the more work it will require. For example, if your goal is to change how you react to things that upset you, be sure you understand why that "thing" bothered you, why you react the way you do, and why it is a vulnerability. Lean on friends, family, or professionals if needed to help you through it.

Holding yourself accountable is important, but having someone else there to keep you responsible helps; and remember, it's alright if you stumble. The important thing is that when you do stumble, you own it, forgive yourself, and try again. Set realistic, short-term goals, and reward yourself for achieving them. The rewards and forgiveness will keep you motivated, on the right track, and stop you from forgetting all the excellent progress you have made. It's not an annual commitment; it's a daily commitment to try to be better today than you were yesterday.

Happy New Year and HAPPY NEW YOU!