January 2005
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Success after failure
Two weeks ago, you made your list, and now on checking it twice, you find that you have violated every one of your resolutions at least once in 14 short days. How could that be?
New Year's resolutions are the way most of us deal with the uncertainty and the promise of a new year. We are going to overcome our frailties and bad habits. In the New Year, we will be skinnier, drink less alcohol, give up smoking, take up jogging, stop procrastinating, be kinder, take on new projects and learn how to say no.
Now you find that you ate too much, you had too many beers during the bowl games and, of course, that was accompanied by tobacco. You have remained a couch potato and you have put off starting the exercise program. You yelled at the grocery store checkers yesterday, have yet to take the Christmas lights down and told the boss you could, of course, take on 15 new responsibilities.
What went wrong?
Give yourself a break. You are only human. You are not going to change habits of years in two short weeks.
How do you deal with this? Number one, do not beat yourself up. Your intentions were good, and the person you are hurting is yourself (and maybe the checker in the grocery store to whom you owe an apology).
Pare down. Can you really accomplish everything on your list in the same year or month? There is no magic time for change. I never start a diet on January 1. To me, that is asking for failure. I start a diet on that magic day when I feel like I can succeed. It is usually in the middle of a month.
Start over. Just because you ate too much or smoked or did not exercise one day does not mean you cannot start your resolution again the next. When you start over, give yourself a hand. It's not easy to go back to the plan, but how else are you going to achieve your goal? An expert once told me that the average smoker gives up cigarettes three times before he or she successfully quits. Keep that in mind.
Remember, while the road to you-know-where may be paved with good intentions, they are at least a start. If you follow through, you'll find yourself going in the right direction.
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Success after failure |