Here we are in 2011. I often take the start of a new year by reflecting on the last year. 2010 was full of ups and downs, mostly ups. Then I look at what I am lucky for in the present. I have a healthy body, a happy life, a great partner, amazing children, a beautiful house, enough food to eat, fantastic friends and a family that loves me. What more could someone ask for.
I know a lot of people take the new year to assign themselves resolutions. There is huge media hype around this phylosophy as well. Things like sign up for our gym and get a 20% discount, or join our weight loss program and avoid sign up fees, oh and these I love "make your new year's resolution to be driving in a new car". Yes because a new car is going to dramatically change my life... no not really! Anyone who works in the health and fitness industry knows that many people sign up in January for fitness memberships and classes but then by February or March the numbers dwindle. Do people lose motivation, do they get to their goal wieght or physique and go back to their old lifestyle? Or does life just get so busy that they can't handle another commitment?
I understand the need or desire for exercise and diet programs after the holidays. If you read my earlier post even I let go of real life during the Christmas season. We socialize more, we eat more, we drink more and because of all of these things sometimes exercise less. Of course all of these things will change the way your body looks and feels and may motivate you to make a new year's resolution to join a gym or weight loss program.
There are other resolutions that people try to do as well that take conscious long term effort. Things like trying to be neater, being nicer to others, spending less, decluttering and the list goes on. Some of these things are really hard to do. The big difference between these and the ones above is that there tends to be more support for weight loss and exercise than there is for "putting your keys away when you get home" for example. They still take effort just the same.
How about just being present instead of making a resolution? Going into January saying to yourself that I am going to be where I am. If you join a gym do it because you want to make a life change not a resolution. Change your diet because eating bad food is not good for your body, not only because you want to lose 10 pounds. Put your keys away every day because you are tired of losing them. (Maybe that's a good one for me). Yogi's believe that it takes 40 days to take a bad habit and change it into a good one. 120 days for the habit to become a part of you. This means that if you do something positive for 90 or 120 days or more the rest will come. It will no longer be a new year's resolution it will be who you are and something you always do. So when asked the question are you the type of person who puts their keys away you can say yes!
So this year I resolve not to make any resolutions. I'm not sure if I will pick up any new 120 day positive "habits", although putting away my keys sounds good. I do resolove to be present in what I do and why I do it. Not bein absent minded in my choices of the food I eat, the exercise I do or don't do and the list can go on. In fact being present is not really a resolution at all, it is something I strive for on a daily basis. So I will continue with this practice, after all it is working for me so far...
Namaste,
Jennifer
