It’s been 2017 for less than 48 hours and I’m sure there are several people who have already broken or given up on a new year’s resolution. There are probably several more who are thinking about doing something similar. That’s okay and it’s not something to be ashamed of. Changing or quitting something cold turkey is never easy. This fact doesn’t change just because it’s a new year.
While you may think that because you already skipped a day in the gym it’s time to give up on that resolution, I think you should do the opposite. I’ve said before: it takes 21 days to make a habit. Two days have passed to make whatever change you wanted and based on that timeline, you still have 19 days to make something a new normal.
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New Year’s resolutions, in my opinion, are a flawed concept. Thinking that humans, creatures of habit, are going to change a lifestyle just because it’s a new calendar year isn’t realistic. It takes time and commitment to implement a new diet, exercise schedule or other habit. When I say time, I mean more than the minute between 11:59 p.m. on December 31st and 12:00 a.m on January 1st. Can it be done? Sure. Is it the norm? No.
It also doesn’t need to be a new year for someone to create a new habit. The timing of a new year coincides with the concept of new beginnings, so it seems like the optimal time to make a change. But when it comes to choosing a change in lifestyle, there is no difference between January 1st and June 22nd. Whenever it is, commitment to the change is crucial.
Commitment doesn’t mean never making mistakes. Just because you deviated from your new diet at lunch doesn’t mean you can’t hop back on the bandwagon at dinner. The more the change is seen as the “new normal,” the less an old way of doing things will provide a temptation to revert back to a previous lifestyle.
So back to those of you who think it’s time to give up a resolution 48 hours later just because you’ve slipped up once or twice, don’t. There are several ways to accomplish any goal we set, so if the way you originally had chosen isn’t going to work, think of a new one. Recommit to the goal you’re trying to accomplish and start again right now. This moment is just as good as one day from now to begin your new lifestyle.
As you decide how to move forward with your new lifestyle, find an accountability partner. Tell them what change you’re trying to make and ensure they will hold you accountable. If they slip up on their path to achieving their resolution, encourage them to keep going and remind them it’s a process. Together, I know you’ll accomplish everything you’ve set out to in 2017.
