It is the first week of the year and many of us have started putting into action all our new year’s resolutions we spent the month of December constructing. From losing weight to spending more time with our families to being more present in our day to day lives, they go on and on. It has been many years since I participated in this yearly ritual that the world refuses to let go of. To be honest, I hate New Year’s resolutions for many reasons but the main reason being that they never truly last. One popular resolution for many is to lose weight in the New Year and YES! Many gyms see their memberships soar high in January but attendance falls drastically from February onwards till pre-summer.
For those that don’t know, I used to be a chubby teenager. I didn’t care much for my appearance until I stepped into university. I remember watching an episode of “The Oprah Winfrey Show” where Oprah showcased a book titled “The Sonoma Diet”. Even though the book was titled with the word “diet”, the book was about lifestyle and mindset change. It revolved around making realistic changes that could actually stand the test of time. Till today, I still do the Sonoma diet and will humbly say, I still look pretty good 🙂
So what is the point of my chubby story? It’s simple. Lasting change I believe occurs when we create personal mindset changes. And this change does not have to start on January 1st of every year. It really should start silently and quietly with you and only you. It should start without a worldly date in mind; it should start when you want and most importantly when you are truly READY for the change.
I can see why the beginning of the year can seem synonymous with new resolutions but bear in mind that the beginning of any week, day, hour or minute can also seem synonymous with new resolutions too. Just because the world is making resolutions on January 1st doesn’t mean you have to follow the herd and feel pressured to do what you may not even be ready for. My words for you this New Year is that you should not wait till any worldly beginnings to decide when to “BEGIN” YOU. And when you do decide to make changes to your life, focus on mindset changes that will change your life not only for the moment or the year but for a lifetime.
What are your thoughts on New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps you disagree with my perspective? Do share your thoughts.