This morning at the YMCA, one of the members was complaining about all the people who made New Year’s resolutions to get in shape. She said that they were “monopolizing” the equipment, and predicted their resolutions would last about 3 weeks, with work-out crowds getting back to normal levels around February 1st. This does seem to be the pattern every year.
Why is it that New Year’s resolutions are so popular, with the media full of ideas to get in shape, to conquer clutter or make some other lifestyle change? Perhaps the beginning of the year creates the desire for a fresh start. Maybe we get swept up by the wave of excitement around resolutions. Sadly, resolutions seldom last – because they are reactive and temporary, aimed at correcting a bad habit, rather than creating new ways of approaching our lives. Once we get back into our normal routines, resolutions tend to fall by the wayside.
Instead of making resolutions, identify your intention – your focus or purpose for the year, what you want to happen for you. Once you have an idea of your overall focus for the year, put together a plan – a purposeful course of action, with milestones to help you see progress. Identify one or two accountability partners to keep you honest. Your chances of sustainable progress will be much greater than with a resolution to work out 3 times a week.
What is your intention for 2013? What will be different for you at the end of the year? What do you want this year to be about? Why? Do you want to improve your relationships? To be prepared for a new career? Whatever it is, if it’s important to you, take the time to put together a plan that reflects that intention.
Deb Hornell is a visionary whose personal brand of “Cultivating Environments for Growth” extends into her consulting practice, her family and friendships, and her book: "Good Things for a Full Life."
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