It is that time of the season when many of us look back at the year and wonder how time passed so quickly. Every year some of us will pledge some unrealistic, unattainable goal on New Year's Eve and by the next day, most have already forgotten them. Social media is filled with memes about resolutions or comments about the woulda, coulda, shoulda's. My Facebook news feed has advertisements for diets, exercise programs, and a lot of self-help ads. This brings on a whole new level of guilt for many. The diet pills, weight loss shakes, and lotions for the miracle diet and body are plastered on TV ads, magazines, new papers, and most websites we frequently use. There is no avoiding them, and they started in October and will not stop until the middle of February. Just like the celebration of Christmas starts earlier every year, so does the guilt for not achieving that unattainable resolution.
To make my point, I am up every day at 4:45 am and at the gym by 5:00 am. On average I am the only person in that gym at that time, except for my trainer, who meets me there twice a week. A few weeks before Thanksgiving, several women from my apartment complex began coming in at the same time and a few times were there before me. The week after Thanksgiving holiday they all stopped coming in. It is now the first week of January and I know that these same women will show up for this week or two and then I will have the gym to myself again. It's sad but true, but here's the kicker, the cost of this gym is included in our rent. Why not take advantage of it, we are paying for it just like a membership to LA Fitness?
In the past, there has been a list of resolutions I've failed to achieve, only to rewrite them every year hoping to find the magic combination of goals that would motivate me. It wasn't the resolutions that I thought about every time I chose to over-eat, reach for that soda instead of a glass of water, or sit on the couch instead of taking that much needed long walk.
So here is my suggestion to make this year different and achievable. First off, don't make the resolution personal. But if you must, try something outside the box. Start a journal, use this journal to help achieve personal goals without high expectations. Write your accomplishments, your fears, and frustrations, but remember to write what makes you smile. Because, this is where most of us go wrong when it comes to journaling.
In addition, there are plenty of organizations that need something you can contribute and are better resolutions. Some will motivate you to make changes in your life and help others. For example, I have a friend that donates platelets twice a month. Platelet donation is an important contribution, it helps many people with every donation. He has currently donated 22 gallons over the past few years. He knows the limits of his donations and has set a goal for the new year to bring his total donation to 30 gallons. Every three donations equate to one gallon, his plan is to donate twice a month for the next twelve months and hit that goal. But, even if he doesn't hit the 30-gallon goal, I know he will not stop because he missed a donation. He gets no personal benefit from donating his platelets, and when he gets a reward from the blood bank for achieving a goal he gives them away as well. He stays healthy so that someone out there will live another day because twice a month he gives a little of himself.
If giving blood is not an option, there are many other things to do. A monthly visit to help at a soup kitchen is very admirable. If you would prefer to see your charity in action the Big Brother Big Sister organization is always looking for mentors.
The most common resolution is weight loss or a healthier lifestyle. A few will try to quit smoking or promise to save money with no real plan, so it is will be destined for failure. This year will be no different for the masses. However, if we look outside the box of resolutions, there are attainable goals that can be met throughout the coming year. I would like to start a new trend. Take the non-resolution new year oath, repeat after me, "I am an anti-resolutionist."
