Over lunch last week, my husband, Bryan, asked me if I’d made any New Year’s resolutions. I hadn’t thought about it yet, but it made me think of this post last year where I shifted my perspective on New Year’s resolutions, and I’m so glad that I did. Now that I can look back on 2013, this year was so much healthier than any year I’ve ever had – and I hadn’t made a single resolution.
It’s good to check in with yourself once a year, to see where you’ve been, where you are, and where you want to be – but making hard and fast rules to live by just seems such an unkind thing to do to yourself.
Where is the room for growth, or forgiveness? Instead, I set goals. Goals have nothing to do with the calendar year, so they aren’t as easily forgotten, and they aren’t erased for new ones on Dec. 31. Also, achieving those goals gives you an excuse to celebrate, and doesn’t that feel good? New gym sneakers? Yes, please.
Our discussion about resolutions led to lots of things we’d like to do this year. Lose weight, volunteer more, stress less, more book time, less screen time, etc., but in the end all we resolved to do was support one another in our individual goals – and it has already made a huge difference in how I feel about my journey toward optimal health.
My wish for all of you in 2014 is to find a workout partner that supports you in your health journey, through good and bad. If you don’t have that person in your life already, they are worth finding.
As for Bryan and me, we are taking the first step by continuing with my trainer Jenn, together.