January 3, 2008
You know how it is. Every year, right around New Year’s, you promise yourself that this will be the year you finally start taking the dog for a walk, shed the weight and finish that project you’ve been letting languish in the basement corner.
But it seems you can never get things together; maybe a week at the gym, and then you find yourself sitting on the couch again, catching the latest reruns of "Spongebob Squarepants," your dog hasn’t seen the light of day and you’ve given a glance, perhaps, at your plans.
Well, it’s time to shape up and start accomplishing your New Year’s goals. These, however, are completely doable, and there’s no guilt involved if they’re not immediately done. Plus, by accomplishing these smaller projects, you’ll most likely find yourself inspired to stay committed to your own, larger resolutions.
•Go for a walk. The oxygen will do you good. Just 30 minutes a day can add years to your life, battle dehabilitating disease and lead to an overall healthier you. If you don’t like exercise, however, just imagine how much you won’t like having to take all of those pills later. Besides, your body will reward you for the (not-so) hard work; people with moderate work-out schedules prove to be happier and more productive than those with no such schedule.
•Cook more often. This holds double benefits: not only will you most likely find yourself a new hobby, but it’ll work toward your other goal of a fitter, healthier you. By cutting back on take-out, you’ll also save money. You don’t have to be a vegetarian to fire up meals that are less-fattening and vitamin-rich; just by dusting off some old cook books you can find nourishing, tasty and nutritional meals that won’t leave you gagging. It’s also a great way to bond with others.
•Clean out your closet. OK, I probably sound like your mom, but really, try it. You’ll be surprised what’s been hidden back there, and you can even make it a social event. With someone’s help, things will go by much faster and be much less torturous.
•Foster experiences. All right, this one is for the lovebirds. Holiday break has passed, but you and your date - no matter what gifts were exchanged - haven’t been able to bring back that love and excitement that you just shared. So, instead of buying that new football jersey for him and that necklace for her, why not spend your money on something that’ll foster a shared memory? Baseball games, hiking expeditions, wherever your interests lie. Just try to stay away from dinners or movie nights; they’re predictable and show a lack of thought.
•Talk. Your probably run up your phone bill as it is, so why would I encourage you to talk more? I suggest instead of hammering your friends with more of the latest gossip, why not talk to those outside your daily schedule? If you don’t have much face time with others, go join a local group or community event. You’ll be surprised at how willing others are to meet you and all of the friendly faces/new ideas you’ve been missing.
Now that you’ve got some easy, do-it-yourself resolutions under way, you’ve got to know how to tackle them the right way. Here's what not to do:
•Have unrealistic goals. This is the problem that most people run into. Instead of trying to cut all sugar and carbs from your diet, why not moderate the amount you eat (if you find that these things are keeping you from shedding the pounds) or go to a nutritionist to find the right way to balance your diet? More often then not, you’ll be surprised at how the perfect diet (like the perfect New Year’s resolution) is a balancing act.
•Rush. Don’t burn yourself out too fast with your goals. Staying committed is one of the hardest things and trying to achieve it in a week, instead of over an extended period of time, is one of the worst ways to attack the problem. Relax and make your resolution part of your daily schedule with the mind-set that you could possibly be doing it for years, if not the rest of your life.
•Have no plan. Like all good strategies, you need a plan of attack. Just hoping that by pure will your dreams will come true is not such a great method. Unlike the little train that could, repeating "I think I can" isn’t going to get you very far. If you need to, keep a journal or even just a calendar where you can mark your progress. If you’re ever at a loss for inspiration, you can look at where you started and see how far you’ve come. Make sure, too, to set up small "checkpoints." These smaller goals will help break up your larger resolution and allow you to celebrate all the way there.
•Rough it alone. Have someone else participate with you. If your goal is to start jogging around the local park every other day, get a running partner. Chances are, if someone else is depending on you to show up, you’ll stick to your goal more often.
•Overcomplicate matters. Keep it simple. If you know you’re an A-type personality, keep your need to overachieve in check. Do what you set out to. Once there, you can start looking ahead. And don’t forget to congratulate yourself when you get there.
This year, prime yourself for success, but don’t berate yourself if you fall short. There’s no reason you can’t tackle your goals all year. Resolutions are meant to be fun. So don’t sweat it. And there’s always next year, right?
