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I refuse to create resolutions. I can't suddenly change a 20 items on a list at the same time. I doubt anyone can acutally do that. The last thing I need is another reminder of what I didn't accomplish. You know me. I believe in change. Ijust don't think goals are realized with resolutions. Say you want to lose 20 pounds or be more organized or be a better whatever it is that you want to do, wouldn't it be more valuable to think about what you are going to today? When you say the word resolution, or even goal, it sounds like to some far off, distant place. Overwhelmed, people fail when they don't look at the short side of the equation. For when you lose motivation by week 3, (it is always week 3 by the way or even day 3) the far distant goal becomes that much more unattainable. I like to think about ACTION PLANS. Whomever coined that term, thank you, it is brilliant. Action Plan. Doesn't that sound motivating? Half of your success is actually doing what you say you are going to do, an action plan gets your boo-tay moving.
How my Action Plan keep you from bonking:
1. I think it is far more valuable to take 1 thing. That's it, just one. You cannot really change more than 1 thing at a time. You tend to lose focus. Too many diversions, life gets in the way, and it will be that much easier to say that you couldn't "do it all" and your big plans will get flushed down the toilet.
2. Think/dream about what you want to do and set a date for change. Take time to think about the challenges and barriers to your new actions. Take a week, heck take a month. Take whatever you need. Spending the time dreaming fuels your motivation. And if you don't spend enough time dreaming, you won't have an reserves built up when you start running on empty. You might even have many false starts. Set another date and try again.
3. Limit your timeframe. Figure out what you are going to do differently, just today. Can you change to being that person you want for 1 single day? Of course you can! You have 1 day down, now replicate that for tomorrow. When you have 2 days, then start thinking about your week. Its just a week. Work week to week and no further. Taking a small manageable amounts of time makes change easier. You can see and recognize small changes. And as all those small "wins" (borrowing your word Whitney) add up, you can see progress as it really is....SLOW. Nothing great or sustainable happens quickly.
4. Finding the perfect fit. Daily/ Weekly/ Monthly Assessment (your call which one). When putting some big plan in place, (for most of America that will be a new diet and exercise plan), you need to take time to make adjustments and be realistic about your progress and what is feasible, especially after that first week. I can tell you that those smarty pants people achieving their goals, (ahem) action plans, are the ones making time to taking a step back, assessing and altering their plans of attack. For example, if you haven't exercised in your recent past, you cannot start out doing it everyday. Your body will quickly become sore and fatigued, possibly resulting in injury. Then you really won't be doing it again until next year. Take a step back, maybe exercising 1 or 2 days a week is your action plan for this week.
You are unique, don't try to follow someone else's plan. It won't work. You need to design and alter your own action plan to fit you perfectly.
Everyone is gung-ho come January 1st, hitting the gym and the produce section more in the first two weeks than they have all year. February comes and the half the gung-ho bunch is sleeping in those extra 30 minutes and going through the drive-thru after work. By March, few resolutioner's have retained enough stamina to keep going. But, there are always those precious few who remain resilient, who avoid the resolution bonk. Will you be one of them?
What are your action plans for 2010?
Eat Wisely and Be Well,
Alyson
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