As another year comes to a close, we often reflect upon our growth, our successes, our regrets, and our goals. I have been reminded of this in various ways recently. One of my Aerobics instructors encouraged the "old faithful's" to arrive early at class, since the New Year's resolutions gang will be coming in full force...well, at least for a while. One radio announcer, while talking about New Year's Resolutions, cited a statistic that 90% of these resolutions will be history by the end of January. I don't know if that is accurate, but I would agree that the tendency is for these "pie in the sky" wishes to have a high fail rate. Why?
Though I have not performed a scientific and statistically accurate study, my hunch is that we often don't mean what we say. We also don't break down these big "dreams or wishes" into workable daily goals. We often have to start with the small, baby steps and make daily and gradual progress. We have to stop setting ourselves up for failure! It is also true that we rarely change until staying the same is more painful than changing. In other words, we face a health crisis, a relationship crisis, a financial crisis, or "you name it" crisis and this requires that we make a change. We almost have no choice but to change. We ARE a stubborn lot, aren't we?!
Here is a story that will encourage you. Anthony Ritchie, a truck driver for 20 years, faced obesity as a regular lack of exercise and unhealthy diet became his norm. He decided to give up smoking (a great first step toward better health), but his weight rose above 400 pounds. It took Anthony TWO YEARS, but he lost 130 pounds and trimmed 20 inches off of his waistline! When asked about his journey, Anthony said "when you get in the shape I was in, you don't physically see the results for four or five months. I think that's what causes a lot of people to stop or get discouraged. The bottom line is, you didn't get that way overnight and you're not going to fix it overnight." I admire Anthony Ritchie! In a culture of microwave results, greater internet speeds, and fast food drive-thru's, we are often not willing to bite the bullet and stay at it for the long haul.
So...where do we start, how do we begin? I could name the obvious: write it down, be specific, be accountable to someone. The truth is, most people are not willing to go through a season of discomfort that would cause the change to take place. It's a journey, not a destination. We so often focus on the destination and forget the importance of the process, the journey. We must say "yes" to some things one day at a time and we must say "no" to some things one day at a time. And yet "a righteous man falls seven times, and rises again: (Proverbs 24:16) Tomorrow can be a new day, a NEW YEAR! I often remind myself, in the midst of a failure, that I CAN start this day over at any time! An "all or nothing" mentality is often crippling to progress.
We often need to make changes in many areas of life, to affect real change in any one area of life. We might need to change our thinking (renew our mind) so that we don't think like a fat person, a failure, etc. We might need to change our relationships if we are surrounded by folks who drag us down and tell us "you will never..." We might need to change our habits like what time we go to bed, what time we rise, what we watch and read. We might need to make changes to our diet. We might need to exercise. We might need to take more risks.
Whatever our particular area of goals, remember that what you do affects many! If you are a Parent, a boss, a mentor, or a leader of any kind...people are watching. I marvel at the days gone by, when celebrities smoked on and off screen and guess what? Many others followed their lead! We have gone through diet fads ad nauseum: the Grapefruit diet, Atkins, cucumber, high protein, low carb, Paleo, juicing, etc., etc. What will work for you may not work for me! WE MUST BE ABLE TO LIVE DAILY WITH THESE LIFESTYLE CHANGES! If I can only last a week with a given diet without "cheating", I am bound for failure. That is why I personally believe that a "diet" is a four letter word in more ways than one! My personal diet choice? Balance, everything in balance. I eat dessert occasionally, but not too much! If I over eat one day, I am very careful for two days. More whole wheat, less white. More vegetables than not. Exercise, exercise, exercise, water, water, water. And for me: Spark, MNS 3, Meal replacement Shakes and any other AdvoCare and Performance Elite products I can get in my body. www.choosethechallenge.com/sroyals This does not have to be your plan, but it is A plan that has worked for many. Do your homework, make a plan!
I recently had a conversation with a EMT. She has observed what I already have heard from experts, our population is growing increasingly overweight. Hospital beds and wheel chairs have had to get bigger. More male nurses are in demand because of how physical the nursing job has become with patients being larger. Be a part of the change in direction and encourage others to do the same. We can turn this around!
To encourage you in the New Year I have shamelessly borrowed from Andy Andrews:
The Seven Decisions from The Traveler's Gift
1. The Buck Stops here
2. I will seek Wisdom
3. I am a person of action
4. I have a decided heart
5. Today I will choose to be happy
6. I will greet this day with a forgiving spirit
7. I will persist without exception
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! LET'S MAKE IT A GOOD ONE!
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