I am not a fan of New Year’s resolutions. They just seem fake to me – doomed for failure. If it wasn’t important enough to change when you first noticed the problem, why is it important enough to change starting January 1? Exercise for example. Winter has to be one of the worst times to resolve to exercise more (unless you live in California, Florida, Arizona, etc.). I’d give up by March too if my only concept of “working out” was the elliptical. Same for “eat better.” Hello? How many Christmas cookies are still laying around on the counter, leftovers from parties and football food galore since we’re in the middle of bowl season and on the verge of playoffs.
Ok, so I’ve bashed resolutions enough. I don’t want to stop anyone from trying to make meaningful changes in their life. But, if someone with no experience in making resolutions could offer some advice, it would be this: keep it realistic. Try something small and manageable.
I just finished reading an excellent book called The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. In the book, the author examines what defines, contributes and detracts from happiness. She starts a year-long happiness project, focusing on a different aspect of her life she would like to improve each month. A key message I took away from the book is that small changes, continued over a long period of time, make a big impact. Continue reading
Adventures of a Hungry Redhead 