THE SECRET TO SETTING NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
Article by Cinthia Singleton Photo: Joicy Muniz
The Secret to Setting New Year's Resolutions
New Years resolutions. Who doesn’t think about making them with the turn of that calendar page? Some do with great ambition. Lose 20 pounds. Go vegan. Quit smoking. Stop swearing. Find a new job. Go back to school. Lots of goals. Even more hopes and dreams are thrown into them.
But why? Why then? Because the calendar decrees it so. December 31. The end of one year and the beginning of another is traditionally seen as a re-boot and, therefore, a time to change course, gears or re-group. And we’re all doing it.
What are your New Year’s resolutions? We’re asked minutes after the ball has dropped in Times Square. We toast to them and wish one another the best of luck attaining them. And then many of those resolutions will find their way to the Resolution Graveyard by January 7th. LOL
Why not a little less resolution and a lot more desire to become better than the day before, all 365 of them? To simply try to live a good life, doing what it takes to wake up each morning ready to be a better person than the day before.
Live toward the goals and betterment.
1) Make personal growth and change part of your day-to-day consciousness. Find a way to visit it, act on it every day.
2) Learn the slow and steady ways to make positive, permanent changes for the better.
3) Develop self-awareness.
4) Be open to being ‘led’ to better opportunities, even different goals.
And at the the end of the day - not calendar year - assess. How can you do better [ quicker, faster, more efficiently ] ? Where did you [ fail, succeed or see where you could do better ]? Give yourself a few moments to meditate on these questions NOT beat yourself up. Meditate calmly about your progress, promises to Self.
Always wake up ready to…
1) do the research
2) ask the questions
3) speak to people who’re just a little bit ahead of you on the trail
4) learn where to plant yourself to acquire skills, lessons, wisdom
5) admit to needing help if you do
Day to day, your Rome can be built.
So this year’s New Years resolution? No resolution. Personal betterment and growth is not a Bull’s Eye hit and win. IT’S PROCESS.
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year
— Ralph Waldo Emerson