New Year’s Resolution Part II
I hope you have started yesterday’s homework and have started working on your vision of success.
Today I want to talk about pitfalls and how to avoid them:
Step 2.
Think back to previous times when you have attempted the same resolution. What tripped you up?
Here are some possibiities:
Hanging out with people who have the behaviour that you are attempting to change – for example if you are attempted giving up smoking then you will have to give up seeing your smoking buddies. Talk to them on the telephone or text message them instead for the next couple of months. Hopefully they will be supportive of your decision – and if they are not ask yourself how good a friend they really are.
Routines that have made your behaviour a habit – e.g. you go to the mall every Saturday yet you are trying to spend less. If the trip is a way to connect with a family member or friend then get creative and find other things that are free or low cost to do instead.
Do you have a mindset that is ruining all your best intentions? Maybe you believe deep inside that you will always be fat (especially if you were fat as a child and a parent reinforced this idea). Dieting will be extremely hard if you hold this belief. Affirmations are a great way to adopt a new mindset. Make the affirmation believable – for instance if you use “I am slim” as an affirmation and one look in the mirror tells you this is false, it won’t really work. Use instead something you can believe in such as ” I am choosing behaviours that will help me become slimmer and healthier”. Reaffirm this belief every time you do choose behaviours such as taking exercise or eating healthier foods. Repeated thoughts will reprogram your mind so that it works with you instead of against you.
Blast through excuses. Every time you think up a reason not to follow through with your resolution, write it down. Look at it and recognize it for the excuse that it is. Argue with yourself and come up with creative ways around the problem. For example if you feel you do not have the time to spend with your children or spouse even though your resolution is to reconnect with them, look carefully at your day for timewasters that you can easily give up – tv shows that are more habit than something you really enjoy or put off a chore until the next day. Life is always about choices and changing your priorities will change your choices.
These are just the more common pitfalls – you may well have come up with others. Feel free to leave a comment if you want some advice on how to overcome your particular pitfall.
I have started a yahoo group to support all those who want to be successful with their resolutions in 2010. Join at http://groups.yahoo.com/group
