Unfulfilled Resolutions

As the New Year dawns upon us, so does the possibility of the new you. It is an unavoidable hope that the New Year will bring a clean slate for us to write our lives the way we want them to be. It is a beautiful belief to hold that we will regenerate and rebuild as the year starts again. So, we inevitably set standards for ourselves to meet, a version of ourselves that becomes our new inspiration. We try and try again each year but often we find ourselves falling short of the person we set out to become with full conviction on New Year’s Eve.

I know what you are thinking. If that is so, why is it that we almost always fail? Are we destined to lose conviction to the cause as the months lose days? Are we just not good enough to be the people we want to be?

Before you start tossing out self-esteem and future goals, let us examine the global trend of falling short of your new year resolutions. There must be a reason. Maybe it is in the resolutions we set out – ambitious, abstract goals we set for ourselves. Most times, we do not even know why we want to “do yoga every morning”.  Is it what our hearts are telling us to do? Can we really follow dreams if we do not know why we have them?

So, what is it that we do wrong that we become stuck in a cycle of unfulfilled resolutions, dreams and goals? Maybe it is the goals themselves. So, let us re-draft our lists with things that may be closer to us than lists from all the years before.

Listen to Yourself

What is it that your heart needs most right now? It could be that vacation plan you put off because it was never a good time, it could be quitting your job, or it could be conjuring the courage to paint again. Our hearts and minds are always telling us what we need, and we drown out their voices under all the opinions of other people that we have gathered.

Resolve to give your own opinion first priority and following your heart will make you feel the accomplishment you had missed out on with all the other resolutions you set out. We find ourselves, often, trying to live up to becoming the version of ourselves that has been sponsored by someone else’s opinions and validations. It is time to quiet down the voices in your head that are not your own. Try to listen to what it is that your heart is saying.

If you find yourself in the same sort of situation, maybe you are short-tempered again, maybe you skip breakfast and you are exhausted again in the span of a few hours – whatever it may be, it will be a familiar kind of distress. For situations like those, the answer usually lies within. Shut everything else out and listen to what your body and mind are asking for. Those goals are the ones you will want to commit to.

Unburden Yourself

The weight you really should commit to losing this year is the one you have been carrying on your conscience and heart. Forgiveness is the universal key to feeling lighter. When it comes to holding grudges about what other people have done, it burns you from the inside out. Although there is no success formula for forgiving others, you can start by acknowledging that it is okay to let it go.

Accepting You Are Human

Start out this year by accepting the human part of you. Do this by making your goals human, too. Set out small goals and reward yourself for whatever extent of your goals you can accomplish, this will give you the sense of accomplishment you need to be motivated to complete your resolutions. Set goals that are broad such as “meditation in times of anxiety” instead of “yoga everyday”. This will allow you to feel liberated within the goals you set for yourself. Also, make your goals about accepting weaknesses. When you acknowledge what you cannot do, your narrative turns from self-deprecating to self-motivating.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness for Everyone

Kindness goes around in a circle. It is bound to come back to you sooner or later, whether as karmic balance of the universe or as the people you helped helping you back. It will refresh your soul and replenish your depleting self-esteem.

Be Kind to Yourself

Being kind to ourselves opens us up to not only ourselves, but all the people around us too. When we stop searching for someone else to treat us right, and give ourselves the love we deserve, we are left with the energy and ability to treat others better too.

Do One Good Thing for Your Body Everyday

Set a low-maintenance, abstract goal for yourself every day. Decide what that goal is going to be and commit to it. Soon you will find yourself doing it regularly. Even if it is drinking almost 8 glasses of water in a day, the closer you feel to your goal, the more likely you are to go all the way.

Find One Thing to be Grateful for Everyday

When you make gratitude a habit, you open yourself to a revolution of perception. As the days progress, the extent of your gratitude will magnify. The wonder and appreciation you will create for life with this habit will open you up to pursuing other accomplishments too. Maybe one day when you are grateful for the way you look, you will love your body and treat it well, and lose the weight you wanted to get rid of by just being good to yourself and not because of what someone else thinks.

The most important goal for this year should be gratitude. Perception is the key to determining everything, while you may be suffering between a rock and a hard place, your outlook on life may change your entire approach to it. Gratitude transforms the mundane into the surreal, you will realize what gold you witness every day. Every day of the New Year will start feeling like a fresh start, the things that have been routine for ages will start feeling novel. When you practice gratitude like a habit, you can motivate yourself to complete all the other goals you set out for yourself too.

Focus on Making Balanced Decisions 

Resolve to make healthier decisions that make you feel great, not ones that make you miserable.  It’s much simpler than following a strict plan and will leave you loving your new lifestyle.  Following strict plans can leave you feeling deprived, which can lead to rebellion and that’s absolutely not what we want!  Balanced decisions are far more beneficial and enjoyable long-term.

Begin by Making Simple Changes Over Time

Instead of trying to do a complete overhaul of your life, start by making these smart, balanced decisions over time.  Changing your habits and doing it slowly leads to creating healthier habits that last without overwhelm and confusion.

Take the Journey Into the New Year Step-by-Step

Start with one new healthy habit a week.  With this method, you’re focusing on one thing that improves your health at a time as it becomes a part of your routine.  For example, for your first week, focus on drinking enough water.  Most people do not, and this is always a fabulous place to start.  You’ll see and feel changes quickly, and you can move onto your second week with another small health goal to implement.

Your Mind and Body Go Hand in Hand

It is not only for the health freaks to look after what your body is saying you need. Whether it is breakfast at least 3 days a week or a complete cycle of sleep at a reasonable hour, this is what is going to make your year shine. Your body houses your mind and it is up to you to make it a happy home. Set goals for your health which are manageable: hydrate, take a walk, have some greens, soak in the sun. When things may not be looking up for your state of mind, your body can always be given a boost with a little care and concern.

What are some of the most important aspects of your health you’d like to change?  Brainstorm some manageable steps to reach these goals and get to work!  I’d love to chat with you about your health goals and how I may be of help to you reaching them.  Accountability is a tremendous factor in achieving your goals, and I would be delighted to be by your side as you journey through this!

If you are looking for more tips and support, join me over on my group page, The Village – A Natural HEALing Community, to get tons of information and tips to help you take your HEALTHY EATING and ACTIVE LIVING to the next level.