Ever since childhood, I’ve looked at the new year as an opportunity to start over on some of the big things I want to accomplish. Leading up to the big day, I ponder the changes I want to make in myself and in my life. Each New Year’s Day, I set aside time to sit in a quiet place and write these down. Usually, my list is ridiculously long and I have to scale back to make it more achievable. Over the past decade or more, I’ve categorized my goals into groups such as “financial” or “health and wellness,” “home improvements” and so on. I then use a spreadsheet to document more detailed plans within these categories. For example, within the “health and wellness” category, I have set a target to read my Bible each morning for 15 minutes and to exercise 30 minutes Monday through Friday. I break these targets into even more detailed plans, such as lifting weights for 10 minutes, 15 minutes of cardio and 5 minutes of stretching. I absolutely love making plans and imagining the wonderful outcomes they will lead to.
But, what’s harder for me is to execute those plans. Am I the only one?
So, what I try to do is implement my plans immediately. I’m usually pretty motivated after spending time documenting what I want to achieve. I’ve found that starting right away and working on establishing new habits daily for as long as possible improves the chances that they will stick.
But, this takes forethought and deliberate action to remove any barriers that could inhibit the execution process. Getting sick, having an unexpected situation arise, such as a flooded basement or a family member suddenly needing my help can throw a wrench in the process. Clearing a path to get started sounds good, but it doesn’t always work perfectly.
I find myself saying “good enough” a lot during this time. Some kind of action or progress is better than none. “Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good” they say, and I agree with this wisdom.
I often hear others say that they don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions because they never stick to them. Well, to that I say, try anyway! That’s like someone who wants to stop a habit, such as smoking cigarettes saying, “Well, I can never stick to it so I’m not going to try anymore.”
It’s never too late to try again. The new year is always a great place to start, but so is a new week, a new day or even a new hour!
The opportunities to plan and start fresh are endless. Never, never give up.
