- “Lose 50 pounds before summer.”
- “Wake up at 6 am to be the early bird who gets the worm.”
- “Hit the gym every other day.”
- “Cook homemade, nutritious meals twice a week.”
Sound familiar? Probably – they’re incredibly common New Year’s Resolutions. They sound like good intentions, but on closer inspection, there’s something about them that might be why so many people fail at keeping to them through the year … beyond the fact that they might be too ambitious or unrealistic.
The problem is that they’re rooted in negativity. Almost militaristic and punitive in their tone, they’re commands rooted in something we don’t like about ourselves. Even though they’re ostensibly about changing these “warts” or undesirable habits, they’re actually constant reminders of where we think we’re failing.
All our thoughts and intentions, good or bad, are creative and have momentum … they lead to material consequences and behaviours. New Year’s resolutions grounded in negative emotion can all too easily end up in failure.
The solution? Choose a word, phrase, and/or image that inspires you – that symbolizes where you want your year to take you (similar to how your Style Statement works!).
If you want to look great in a bikini in California this March, clip a picture of a beach and give it a caption: “Where I’ll be lounging with my long legs stretched out and my face tilted toward the sun – about to get a massage.” This is rooted in celebration – celebration of your body (that you’ll be nurturing though good diet and exercise beforehand) and your taking time for yourself to relax. Put it up somewhere you look at often in the day, like your day-timer or bathroom mirror.
Or, if you want to write a short story and get it published, you could tap out “If I want to, I can,” or “Dreams become real,” or whatever will drive you to reach your goal. You could even borrow from another source – Nike’s “Just Do It” never ceases to inspire. (Up on my fridge right now is a square magnet, very simply yet elegantly designed, with a line from an Emily Dickenson poem, “Dwell in Possibility.”)
What’s your New Year’s Celebration word or image symbol going to be? I’d love to hear.
Calling all fridge decorating junkies – take a picture of your awesome fridge art and send it to me!
