A New Year…A New Outlook
Guest Post by Jen Malik
I still can’t believe it’s 2010. Remember when that year was just a movie title? Well, we’re here now. Although the world is not exactly the way science fiction writers pictured it, the world is a completely different place than it was just 20 years ago.
20 years ago, not every household had a computer and no one had the Internet as we know it today. Cell phones were a rarity and text messaging via mobile phone was non-existent. In fact, most “in-touch” people still carried pagers, aka “beepers”.
Ah so long ago.
But enough of that trip down memory lane. Let’s get back to the here and now. It’s a new year and in fact, it’s a new decade.
I know we talked resolutions the other day and I hope those tips we helpful. Interestingly enough, according to a quirkology.com study, only 12% of the participants achieved their New Year’s Resolution goals, even though 52% were confident at the outset of the study that they would do so. That doesn’t bode well for us and our resolutions, does it?
Bah humbug, I say!
I think New Year’s Resolutions get a bum rap because they come with such a big, shiny label. People make and break resolutions every day. They say they’ll stop smoking. They say they’ll stop eating junk food. They say they’ll become a vegetarian. They say they’ll exercise 3 times per week. Guess what? Most of those people don’t do it, no matter on which day they made they made the resolution.
The Mark Twain quote rings true for so many people, in so many ways: “It’s easy to quit smoking. I’ve done it hundreds of times.”
The thing is, you’ve really got to be dedicated to your goal or resolution. You need support, a plan and you’ve got to get back on track when you fall off. If you’re just making a resolution for resolution’s sake, save it for another time when you’re really ready.
Like I mentioned, I’m putting a focus on a healthier lifestyle. No pressure to be stick thin, starve or exercise until I drop. Maybe fewer ice cream treats and more walks up the stairs, instead of taking the elevator. You know, stuff I can incorporate into my everyday life.
If you’re making a resolution, good for you. If you’re not, why not make a goal to simply be grateful for all the blessings your life has brought you? When you’re ready to set an important goal for yourself, you’ll know it.
Your very right, a goal is great to have, but there needs to be a plan and dedication to support it. It’s far to easy to relax a few weeks into the year and forget what your goal was.
our resolution for a healthier lifestyle is perfect, Jen – little changes like that are much easier to stick to, and the cumulative effect of a number of such small steps over time will suit most people much better than setting magnificent goals they knew from the outset they’d never keep…
I can’t believe that it is almost 2010 either. However, I am looking forward to the new year. Wheither it’s goal setting or New Year’s resolution, I don’t know but I have set some specific things for the new year. Good guest post by Jen.
Setting a goal or resolution needs to be specific and measurable. If its measurable the key is to take regular measurements and track your progress, ideally on a daily basis.