How to Resolve Those New Year’s Resolutions
As we rapidly approach the end of the year, it’s almost obligatory to make decisions on how we are going to change our lives for the better. Before you start thinking of your New Year’s Resolution, take a moment and think back on your Old Year’s Resolutions. What did you vow to change coming into this year, or any of the previous years for that matter? Did you achieve your resolution and your life is dramatically better? While I truly hope that was the outcome, most often I hear about resolutions that were not met and people who actually feel guilty because they deviated from their course. In fact, most people cannot even recall what their resolution was, but they know they didn’t achieve it and feel guilty about that still!
New Year’s Resolutions are so appealing because they offer us an opportunity to fundamentally address something about ourselves with a large chronological component. Looking back to the New Year makes it easy to see how long we’ve done something (or not done something). But, as we drift further from that time marker, the energy that drove those resolutions in the first place dissipates and we stay less committed to our goals. This is why so many of us don’t have the follow through for New Year’s Resolutions specifically. Our ultimate goals are too big to be sustained by energy that gets smaller the further we get away from it.
The year 2023 is going to be a great time to create sustainable resolutions that focus on our health. After spending the last few years in a pandemic and challenging times, the world needs us to work towards establishing our best health. This is a big resolution, and it’s important that we ensure that the energy we create this resolution with does not go away over time. We do this by making sure that our resolutions are tied to a bigger vision of who or what we want to happen rather than just a specific period of time. If we aren’t worried about a specific timeframe, why not start your resolution today? Why not have monthly resolutions?
There is some basic groundwork that we need to do before we start to create our resolutions. If we want our resolutions to be tied to a greater vision, then we need to determine what that vision is. We need to spend some time thinking about why we want what we want instead of how we are going to get there. The WHY is the most crucial component to any change we are trying to make. Think of your why as a basic map of where you want to go and the resolutions as the route you are going to take. If the destination is desirable enough, you will keep going down the path. However, if you lose sight of where you are going (your why) then it’s easy to stop and settle for however far you’ve gotten.
For example, many resolutions have to do with weight loss. Some people say, my New Year’s Resolution is to lose 20 lbs. Seems relatively simple. Losing 20 lbs shouldn’t be too difficult, so why is it that most people don’t get there? Because they don’t answer the question of why they want to lose 20 lbs. I want to lose 20 lbs to look better. The question then is, can’t you look better without losing 20 lbs? If so, that weight won’t change. If you are looking to lose the weight to live a healthier life to be present for your family, then that weight will melt off. Finding out your why is the heart of all the changes you’ll make.
Once you figure out your big vision and your why, now you are prepared to start making goals. There are 3 types of goals that will help you make your resolutions come true. Think about them as your A, B, and C goals. These are basically metered goals to help achieve your bigger vision, change your life, and drive your resolutions.
Type A goals should be very achievable. These are the things that you can start to do today to change your outcomes tomorrow. For example, getting to bed and waking early is something you can do tonight to make a change. Eating animal protein throughout the day will stabilize your blood sugar and help your metabolism. Ending your showers with 30 seconds of cold water on your body. Committing to a targeted supplementation plan with nutrients such as Bio D3/K2 Recovery Formula, Methyl-Detox Recovery B’s, Omega 3 Recovery, and Recovery Probiotic I is something you can do today. Check these out here.
Type B goals are what you use Type A goals to try to achieve. These are between your everyday goals and your bigger vision. They are goals of activity such as going for a 10 mile hike or a 20 mile bike ride. This isn’t something you should try to do on the first day, but something that you are working up to. They don’t just have to be activities, as they could be long-term relationship goals as well. Think about how your Type A goals could help you to connect more with your partner or even have more energy for your kids. As you build health with Type A goals, you’ll be able to sustain energy for your Type B goals.
Type C goals are different. These are called stretch goals as they are closest to your bigger vision and address your why. Sometimes these goals are so big that they may not even be attainable, but this is what everything is about. Everything you do, your actions and decisions help move you towards your C goal. Think of a Type C goal as a spiritual goal, a significant professional goal, or even easing the suffering of others. This is what keeps your energy up to fulfill your resolutions.
It’s not complicated but it’s more difficult than just randomly selecting an arbitrary goal and trying to will yourself into making life changes. Now is the best time to make your health a priority and connect it to your relationships and spirituality. Ring in the New Year with a new you, a better you!
