Keeping New Year Resolutions

Keeping new year resolutions

TV is wonderful. It has taught me about law and order, has tormented me with outrageously delicious food that I can't smell or eat, and has shown me how to build, fix, or buy absolutely anything.TV recently even provided a brilliant idea from a personal trainer to the stars1 on how to keep that most popular of New Year Resolutions, getting in shape. She said most people keep that one for about three weeks before life gets in the way. Her advice: go to bed in your workout clothes, and wake up to energetic music that motivates you to move. As soon as you're out of bed you're halfway there! And by getting yourself moving around you're that much closer to exercise.

Music and Bacon as alarm clocks

I know for myself that if I don't have to remove cozy warm articles of clothing in exchange for freezing cold articles of clothing, a huge barrier is removed. I'd have to be careful with the music selection, however. It's a delicate balancing act between motivating me to get out of bed at 6 a.m when it's dark and cold, and skyrocketing me into a synth-y, Nicki Minaj-induced2 rage. In fact, I can't think of a single song that would get me out of bed to exercise. I'm certainly open to suggestions because I can't even imagine what that song would sound like. It would have to have persuasive lyrics, like "If you get out of bed I'll make you a nutritious, healthy breakfast that involves bacon."

How badly do you want it?

No matter what the resolution, or how able I am realistically to fit it into my life, keeping it comes down to one simple question for me: how badly do I want the result of said resolution? I've found that if the outcome greatly outweighs3 the pain of getting there, my chances of sticking to the plan for at least a month are really good.To bring myself longer-term success there's Part Two: have in place a support system for sticking to the resolution. I recently was able to get my diet as close to ideal as I've ever gotten it4, for longer than I've ever been able to do it5, by receiving treatments from a chiropractor and acupuncturist that are designed to break the addiction cycle. I tried to get my diet cleaned up again without the acupuncture and adjustments, and I wasn't able to do it, at all.

What's the first domino?

Don't get discouraged if you cannot make huge changes to your life in January. When keeping a resolution is dependent upon also getting rid of a strong addiction or proclivity, the emotional and spiritual aspects need to be addressed, and that takes time and work. There's an underlying reason for whatever unhealthy patterns are showing themselves that could go back as far as childhood or the womb. Figuring out that first domino, the one that starts the chain reaction that leads to the final unhealthy behavior, is the key to achieving success with keeping resolutions. It may take years to figure out. My first domino is usually fear of rejection, and the result of that domino falling can be anything from eating food that my body cannot easily tolerate, to spending money I don't have on things I don't need.

Line up a support system

Before committing to your resolution take the time to come up with your support system for achieving success. My support system involves acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, aromatherapy, flower essences, homeopathy, yoga, and a lot of support from my daughter6. I'm also learning how crucial meditation is to keeping me in the correct mindset, and keeping my heart strong.  Even with that extensive support system I often feel as though I have no control over myself. The important thing is to keep trying. It's not how many times you fall down that counts; it's how many times you get up.Please leave wake-up music suggestions below, and any ideas on how you keep personal goals for longer than a day.

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1 I wish I could remember her name. She's blonde, cute, and in great shape. That narrows it down to maybe 1,000,000 possible personal trainers she could be.
2 When is she going away?! Does every song on the radio have to involve her? Apparently so!
3 and I do mean GREATLY
4 I took the following out of my diet: wheat, corn, nuts, dairy, beef, caffeine, sugar, honey, tomatoes, and peppers.
5 4 weeks! It felt like 4 years.
6 A hug from her honestly helps me put down whatever wheat-sugar-dairy combination I'm holding in my hand. Not all the time, but once in a while it helps. And that's huge.