Happy YOU Year

And so it begins, the barrage of commercials for fitness products and wellness plans that conveniently happen just as we are about to start the new year.  Their timing is impeccable. Most of us are walking around in bleary-eyed exhaustion from the whirlwind of the holidays. We’ve most likely overindulged in some way, maybe with our finances, food, alcohol…and then these commercials scream out to us they they’re here to save the day! To make us feel better, be better, look better, do better…and we are drawn to them like Pepé Le Pew to his one true love.

I’ve never been a big new year’s resolution kind of gal. Maybe because I’m a rebel and if everyone else is doing it, I don’t want to. Ok, well…I’m not much of a rebel… 

I like to think that I’m not a fan of new year’s resolutions because of the way they’re perceived, that resolutions are seen as temporary or fleeting.  Either way, I was curious about the resolution trend, so I Googled new year’s resolutions and thanks to Empoweredpres.com, found the top ten new year’s resolutions from 2011. In 2011, people vowed to:

10. Help people.

9. Spend more time with family.

8. Get out of debt.

7. Learn something new.

6. Organize yourself.

5. Quit drinking.

4. Enjoy life more.

3. Lose weight.

2. Get in shape.

1. Stop smoking.

All of these seem pretty productive and some downright necessary. So why the issue with new year’s resolutions? A resolution after all is nothing more than a declaration to make a change.

Maybe it’s really the post-resolution actions we have a problem with; the follow through that’s needed to make the change happen.

For those of you that are regular readers, you might have noticed that I close each blog post with the same words. Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Ask for help. Continue with courage.

2013 is right around the corner. What is ONE change you want to make in the coming year?

Make the choice to make a change. Give the change a voice. Write it down or vocalize your goal to a friend. It’s your life, it’s your choice.

Commit to the choice. Develop a plan of action to make the change happen. Write your plan down and share it with a friend. A very wise colleague of mine reminded me that if action is not taken within 30 days, it usually doesn’t happen. Don’t start next week or tomorrow, start today.

Ask for help. Those top 10 new year’s resolutions listed above, they are NO joke. As Rick Warren said, "we are made to get well in community with each other". You do not need to do this alone. Recruit a friend to come along on the change journey with you. This person should not just be your cheerleader, but someone who will keep it real with you at all times.  

Continue with courage.  This might be the hardest part. This is where you’ll need to dig deep. As we all know, change does not and will not happen overnight. It might take weeks, months or even years. Believe in yourself.  Believe that you’ve got it going on. Believe that you can do it.

Know that you’ve been given the desire, knowledge, talent, skills, determination and courage to make it happen. 

It's going to be a happy YOU year!

Make the choice. Commit to the choice. Ask for help. Continue with courage.

Hugs and friendship,

Tara