res·o·lu·tion
It’s that time of the year… the New Year’s Resolution. Another year, another list. Which got me thinking… are we truly resolving anything when we decide to lose 15 pounds, exercise more, quit smoking, etc? When we make these lists of resolutions or goals for the coming year we are looking at the end point, without breaking it down into steps. Maybe that’s why we stick to them for a few weeks and by February they are just a distant memory and our old patterns seep back in.
To truly make a change you have to face the problem head on and then create steps to solve it. And it just so happens that this is the true definition of resolution.
The Merriam-Webster online dictionary defines res·o·lu·tion as
- the act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc. : the act of resolving something
It’s not enough to say ‘I want to lose 15 pounds’. What is the motivation? There needs to be something more tangible, something with meaning and purpose to help commit to the resolution. So if your end goal is weight lose, it needs to be attached to ‘because if I was lighter my knees would not ache as much’. I want to exercise more so ‘I can run around with my children and be a good example of health and fitness’. When you attach meaning it makes the daily little sacrifices easier until you start feeling the results… and that’s where momentum becomes the fuel for the fire.
Your health doesn’t change by chance, it changes by choice…