Make New Year’s Resolutions Come True…
I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. ~ Jimmy Dean
New Year’s what? Oh right! I forgot about that. Most people are gung ho about January first. It amazes me how fast fitness centers fill up with over zealous “get in shape” customers during the first week of January. I can barely find an open treadmill.
Have you ever looked at the same fitness center the second week of February? Where did everyone go? As the holiday season winds down, Christmas decorations get stored away and life returns to the mundane ritual of school, work, and domestic duties. The euphoria of friends, family and new beginnings fades away and resolutions become a distant memory.
I, too, am guilty of crashing my New Year’s resolution high. I can’t count the number of times I made empty promises. “This year, I’m going to…”
Before I know it, another December 31st rolls around and I realize my resolutions got buried underneath snow banks.
A few years ago, I read about how to keep New Year’s resolutions. I learned a very important thing – resolutions should not be made lightly. Resolutions should be goals I want to accomplish. A good way to stick to my resolutions is to write down a plan. Instead of blurting out meaningless wishes on New Year’s stroke of midnight, I make the time to create a list of all the things I want to accomplish. I examine the list and chose three goals that seem attainable within a twelve-month time span.
The first goal I choose is my most important; the other two: less essential, yet attainable. It is important not to be overly ambitious when writing New Year’s resolutions. Once my three goals for the year are decided, I write down all the necessary steps to complete each goal and assign deadlines.
The most important thing about New Year’s resolutions is to allow room for change. I revisit my resolutions monthly to make sure I stay on target. Tracking my progress makes each goal attainable. Life is not always set in stone. Things come up that aren’t anticipated. When I miss a deadline, I readjust my schedule. If a new opportunity arises, I take that into consideration. I expect to be diverted; I expect obstacles to land on my path. When they do, I readjust my sails and change direction. With my new plan in place, my resolutions come to fruition each year. I accomplish more each year than I could have imagined without a plan.
Writing a plan is just the beginning to fulfill New Year’s resolutions. There are still twelve months of blank pages to fill. I wish you a prosperous 2010. May all your resolutions come true.
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