Resolutions Can Wait!

New Year, New Me - That's such a line of bull! People have this crazy idea that they can just up and decide to set new goals for themselves on New Year's Day, and hopefully they'll somehow manage to turn their lives around like they've never been able to before. I get it, I really do. But if it were so easy to make the big changes, why can't we make them during the rest of the year? Okay, there may be a select few who actually accomplish their New Year’s Day goals, but those people – in my experience are few and far between.

The majority of us stick with it for the first month – maybe two – then for the rest of the year attempt to justify – at least to ourselves – why it was impossible to follow through on them. It's like starting a diet on a Monday, as opposed to say... Wednesday. We can't seem to begin a new goal in the middle of the week and stick to it, but let's face it - Monday is a terrible day to start a new diet because everyone hates Monday's in the first place. Any new lifestyle change should be made on a day we actually like; Saturday, for example. Everyone has their particular “Saturday” or day off no matter what day of the week that may be for them and they usually feel pretty good about it. Sounds like a great time to start a new diet or whatever your new goal is.

So New Year's Day - most of the American population is either still partying or very hung over. Is that the best possible day to begin a new life changing ritual? Is it any wonder these resolutions are almost always doomed to fail right out of the gate? This is something I've given a lot of thought to over the course of my life, and I didn’t resolve anything on New Year’s day this year – today maybe… but not on New Year. Whether it be a new diet, an exercise regimen, or some other goal - for me it would have to be to write at least 2,000 words every day and lay off the junk food as much as possible - notice I didn't say give it up entirely? That's because I know my limitations and am honest with myself. I know when I say I'm giving up something; it's only a matter of time before I take it up again. Well... except smoking and drinking... those have been out of my life for many a year and I have no desire to get them back in.

But I digress... The point is... don't start something new on a Monday, or on January 1st. Wait at least one extra day. Wait till Tuesday, or January 2nd - which this year happens to be the same day - to make your life changing decisions. Drink more water. Eat less crap. Get more active. Write more words. Paint more pictures. Just... give it one more day before you commit to it. I really think that may be the key to a successful resolution.

Blessings and Happy New Year! May 2018 be everything you hope it will be and better.