The Resolution Not to Quit
10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..1 Happy New Year!! Its that time again and after we find our way back home, recover from a night of fun and say good bye to our grouchy in-laws, its time to pick our resolutions and actually stick to them this time. A new year is a time for a new beginning. No matter you did in the last 12 months, a new year can bring hope, determination and ideas. As long as you are truly committed, you can't fail.
While this sounds optimistic, most people give up on their resolutions as the euphoria of the new calendar wear off. Some make it past buying healthy food and even committing to a gym contract, but to many, this becomes a waste of time and money.
New Years' Resolutions are typically pretty broad: getting into shape, or starting a healthy diet. The reason why they fail is because the goal is stated in a few words but are actually much more complicated. People become overwhelmed with all the small changes they have to make just to get into shape or start a healthy diet.
The trick in succeeding is to set small goals that will eventually build up into your main objective (getting into shape). Usually, resolutions are not temporary. They are meant to span through the rest of your life. You don't just want to eat healthy or get into shape for a week. Such a long term commitment won't take days to accomplish so giving up after a week is foolish.
To succeed, you need to break the tasks into small goals. The hard ones should go last and the easy ones first. This will help build your confidence to make difficult goals easier. Also, making a list of the small steps and checking them off as you go will give you a sense of accomplishment.
Change isn't easy and there'll be set backs along the way. Don't let one or two mistakes turn into your justification for quitting. While change is hard, it is necessary for us to evolve and improve our lives. Without it, we wouldn't be where we are today and with it the opportunities are endless.
For more ways to stick to your resolution long past January and February, visit the New Years' Resolution Guide. You can also share your resolution experience and read about others' at the diet forums and exercise forums.
Health Poll of the Week: Sometimes, those who are looking to lose weight skip breakfast in hopes of cutting calories. Do you eat or skip breakfast? Vote now. Remember, there's no need to register to vote and if you share your opinion, you could win an Amazon gift card.
Here are a few of the topics that are currently being discussed on a host of diet and exercise issues that will help you keep your resolution well into the New Year: