If you want to sabotage your dreams, resolutions and daily goals, practice this tried and true strategy: "Invest in an all or nothing mindset day after day." During the past seven years, as I have studied and practiced what works and what does not work for resolution-setters, I have discovered that those individuals who become resolution-keepers (AKA Resolutionistas) are the ones who are willing to start over, again and again. They are willing to accept their daily victories large and small with gratitude. They don't embrace an 'all or nothing' attitude. Instead they claim their failures and learn by their mistakes, then move forward with that knowledge as part of their playbook.
Thanks to 'Google Alerts' the latest news and information about New Year Resolutions flows into my email in box each day. Google Alerts have enabled me read thousands of blog posts by folks who propose New Year Resolutions. I say 'propose' because they make them with little, or no, commitment and virtually no planning and forethought, then watch their hopes and dreams burn away like morning mist. Unfortunately, for many of the bloggers who write about New Year Resolutions, it is more of an afterthought than a true part of their daily lives. That is one of the reasons I began writing about 'Resolutionistas', folks who doggedly pursue their passions day after day - they deserve a measure of credit for their hard work.
Do you remember your 2011 New Year Resolutions? My hunch is the anwer is "no". If you are continuting to pursue your resolutions, congratulations! Whether you are trying to build a healthier lifestyle via exercise and healthy meals, drop a few pounds, learn a new skill, write a book, earn a college degree, or climb every mountain - small daily steps will help you to achieve your dream over time. But as the journey progresses, you really have to be willing to accept the failures right alongside the successes. You have to say "goodbye" to the all or nothing mentality.
Sugar is one of my own personal challenges, so it is not surprising that managing my sugar intake is a Lifetime Resolution that sits high on my list of 'Daily Resolves'. Rather than eliminating sweet treats from my diet, I indulge moderately most days (I do slip up at times). But rather than beat myself up over the slip ups, I vow to make sure the 'good sugar days' out number the 'bad sugar days'. A resolution to 'ban sugar' forever, I would prompt me think of nothing but sugar, so I indulge moderately instead.
With that in mind, in honor of 'Chocolate Easter Bunnies', moderating my sugar intake (rather than eliminating sugar), is the headliner this week for my Daily Resolves. I intend to 'Indulge Healthfully', as part of my Third Annual I Resolve To . . . Challenge: 365 Resolutions For Health & Happiness. Why not join me? The objective is very simple: Do at least one thing each and every day to promote health and happiness for 'YOU'. Banish the 'Someday, Someday, Someday Syndrome'. Instead, make every day New Year's Day. Make every day count with 'daily resolves'. The list of possibilities is infinite and can be tailored to your own dreams, resolutions and daily goals. If you need some help - a little nudge, a bit of inspiration, tips, advice, and news about the best ways to make resolutions a reality - please use IResolveTo.Com as one of your resources. To see my personal 'Health & Happiness Tapestry', click through my 2009-2011 Photo-Resolutions, each one documents my journey toward greater health and happiness! Resolve365 in 2011.
To better organize myself, each weekend I am posting a Daily Resolve 'To Do List' - at least seven resolutions from my 'Health & Happiness Tapestry' that I plan to achieve, and I will undoubtedly throw in some new ones along the way. My Daily Resolve 'To Do List' is one more way to focus and track the small daily steps that I take toward health and happiness. For decades, I have tracked my dreams, resolutions and daily resolves in my journal and on my calendars with colorful stars. Here are the 'Daily Resolve' highlights for the week:
I RESOLVE TO . . .
- Dinner with good friends (check).
- Practice kindness on the highway (check).
- Get back into the daily writing groove (check).
- Enjoy heaping salads packed with fresh veggies (check).
- Avoid chocolate Easter Bunnies today, moderation rules (check)!
- Fulfill daily habits: vitamins, meditate, stretch, weights, and walk (check).
- Head into the garden and get my hands dirty - time to mow and trim shrubs (check).
The whole purpose of daily resolves is to mindfully inject a small bits of joy and healthy habits into each and every day. The small daily steps do add up to big results over time because they are concrete and manageable (which helps to eliminate the fear factor and sense of being overwhelmed). That said, what is really important is 'right now' - enjoying each and every moment of the journey toward health, happiness and making dreams a reality!
Remember: I Resolve To . . . Achieve My New Year Resolutions, One Resolution, One Day At A Time For One Year. It's your choice. Do it today. Turn your resolution into reality in five simple, common sense steps: Dare To Dream, Decide, Define, Develop A Plan, and Do It Daily. Make your resolution a permanent Lifetime Resolution, something that's with you for good! Above all, Be A Resolutionista, someone who makes resolutions, keeps resolutions, and enjoys the journey! Let's Go For It!
Need More Inspiration? Wear Your Resolution By Visiting The I Resolve To . . . Shop At CafePress: IResolve To . . . Resolutionista Gear And By Joining The Official I Resolve To . . . Group At Gather.Com. Get going on your 2011 New Year Resolutions with the I Resolve To . . . Worksheet 2011. View my 2009-2011 Health & Happiness Tapestry by clicking through Daily Resolve Photo-Resolutions.
Kim M. Simpson - April 24, 2011
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