As it is New Year’s Eve a large percentage of the population will be thinking about the year ahead and how it can be better than the last twelve months.
For obvious reasons we all hope that it will be a better year ahead than this past twelve months.
Thoughts will include things like a fitter, healthier and happier person, better relationships with our family and friends, a promotion at work, start that business we have always wanted, buy the car or house of our dreams, go on that much deserved holiday of a lifetime and the list goes on.
The question that always arises for me at this time of the year is why do we wait until the 31/12 to make these “wishes” or “resolutions”?
Why is the 31/12 significantly different to every other day of the year? The sun comes up and goes down, we get up out of bed (if lucky enough), we eat, we breath, we go to the bathroom – all the same things we do on nearly every other day of the year? What is the significance of this day compared to others? Some may say its drawing a line in the sand and making a stand to change the future. But why cant you do this any other day of the year? Every day is a new day, every day is a new start, a fresh slate, a new opportunity to improve your life, get the new job, find the love of your life, start a new fitness routine, change your nutrition.
Every day you can do this – EVERY GOD DAMN DAY!
I dont want to discourage anyone from setting resolutions – I think if youre going to try and change your life thats awesome, but i do want to draw something to your attention – from a decade in the fitness industry i think i have witnessed less than 10% keep their resolution past the end of January. The biggest reason I have found that most people fail with keeping their resolutions are:
- too generic
- Not really aligned with who the person is
- People get easily discouraged by minor set backs and are kind to themselves when they do have setbacks
- Life simply gets in the way and all of a sudden the resolution is a thing of the past
- Most go too hard too soon and find themselves overwhelmed
- Old habits are hard to shake
- Someone tells you, you cant and you believe it. Self belief
And the list goes on.
So thinking about what i have already said – NYE really isn’t that different to any other 24 hour days, so why not take the opportunity to set yourself some intentions (not resolutions or wishes) each and everyday? The can be big or small, simple or challenging, it really doesn’t matter. The thing that is important is to wake up with intent everyday and go about improving your life, relationships, health, nutrition what ever it is.
Setting daily intentions can make such a huge impact in your life that in no time at all massive change can occur. The other great thing about setting daily intentions is that they can be small and manageable which makes achieving them much easier and all the small things do add up over time.
Some of my daily intentions are eating healthy, get enough sleep, be kind to myself, meditate daily, exercise twice a day be a good human, get work done that moves me and my business forward. There are more but these are personal to me.
So will i set any resolutions? The short answer is yes. But I dont call them resolutions I call them goals for 2021. I will spend today reflecting on the past twelve months, what i achieved, what I didn’t, look at the reasons for my successes, challenges and failures and set some new goals for 2021.
The secret I have found to succeeding with my bigger goals is that i break my goals down and set my daily intentions to be aligned with my goals. Therefore the small intentions that I achieve everyday all add up to me succeeding in achieving my bigger goals and i don’t feel that the larger goals are unachievable because everything i do is taking one more step towards the goal. Before I know i have achieved some massive goals that I once thought was near impossible.
As I am sitting here writing this, I realised how much bigger this became than when I had the idea for the post today and I am glad that I have explored it further and I hope that If you have read this far that you have gotten something out of it, however big or small.
From me to you I wish you all the very best for the year ahead, go forth and crush what ever plans you have and may 2021 be your best year ever!