Resolve to Take Your Life Back One Step At A Time

It’s the New Year tradition, to make some resolutions and then possibly follow them for a few days, weeks or months, then they are forgotten.

But I don’t necessarily do “resolutions”, I feel like you should stop trying to make such huge changes that they are impossible to continue to do.  Your new year’s changes should be a series of small steps you can take a little at a time that will add up to a bigger result in your life than a short term burst of big changes that don’t stick.

Don’t get me wrong, if you can get the resolution to stick, by all means, do it!

But if you have not been able to in the past, start smaller.

Let me give you an example.

Instead of saying, I want to lose 10% of my body weight – break that down into smaller steps.  Start out with the amount of weight – if you weigh 200#, then it’s 20 pounds to lose.  Realistically, the max you can lose in a week is 2 pounds.  But most people don’t lose weight in even amounts.  Either way, choose a reasonable amount to lose in a week – 1 pound for starters.  That means it will take you 20 weeks to lose 20 pounds.  Sound like a long time?  It’s not.  Really, if you start, lose 5 pounds, then stop, those 20 weeks still go by – but you don’t do anything because you are frustrated.  I have been there!

Okay, so a pound a week breaks down into about 500 calories less per day.  Stop eating the bag of chips at 3 pm when you are bored.  Don’t munch on a candy bar – eat an apple.  Drink less “soda” and drink more water.  Find ways to reduce your daily calories.

Your goals or resolutions should be SMART ones

Specific (but not too broad)

I want to lose a pound a week, I want to read a book a month, I want to write an article every day, I am going to eat a new vegetable every week…

Measurable

Make sure you can check it off. I started using www.rememberthemilk.com lately, and it’s great.  Everyday it reminds me of the stuff I need to do, and I am in complete control.  I have been better than ever at keeping myself on track.  (Bonus – it’s free!)

Achievable

It goes without saying, you can’t lose a pound a day or exercise for 5 hours.  Pick something you can do, and if you need to you can ramp it up.  For example, I committed to walking 30 minutes every day.  Now, I started at a 2.0 MPH, and now I am up to 2.5 MPH.  Eventually I will be at 3.0 MPH.  But if I started with 3.0 MPH, I would not have gotten through the first day, let alone start the second day.

Relevant

In other words, don’t plan on doing something that goes against your other life plans.  I started writing fiction last year, in connection with my other kindle books I write, and it’s relevant to me as an author so I get better at writing.  I have a goal of attending church every week – but if you are not a believer that would not be a good goal for you.

Time Bound

Make your goal something with a stopping point.  You need to know it will be over.  Like the 20 pounds in 20 weeks we started with.  Then change to another goal.

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