How are the New Year’s Resolutions holding up? I’m a goal
and list maker so I always enjoy the process of making resolutions at the
beginning of a year, even if I don’t always stick to them.
I also like the trend of choosing one word as a focus for
the year. Some of my friends have done this, choosing words like "joy" or "courage". The idea is to use that word as a guide for actions or
projects you take on during the course of the year and make each effort more meaningful.
So I’ve been pondering.
What should MY word be?
I actually came up with a phrase for 2016. I borrowed it from
Gretchin Rubin, the author of The
Happiness Project and Better Than
Before, (two books I’m obsessed with and highly recommend, by the way.) Gretchen
has a list of personal commandments and one of those is, “Be Gretchen”.
So instead of a word of the year, I’m adopting a mantra of
the year.
Be Me.
What that means is that I have to know myself, what works,
what doesn’t, what makes me happy.
And sometimes, that means I’m giving up.
Here are a few health and fitness things I’m NOT going to do
in 2016.
·
Run. Anywhere. I keep thinking it’s something I should do. It’s a great way to keep in
shape, it can be done anywhere and anytime. And the organized race events REALLY
look fun. Sometimes I even sign up for them and imagine myself training
hard and pushing through to the finish line.
But when training time arrives, I can’t get myself out the door and the
idea of a treadmill sounds so deadly. This year, I’m facing up to the fact that
I’m never going to be someone who runs for exercise. And this is where I apply
the “Be Me” mantra. Just because someone else enjoys it and finds it an
effective way to stay healthy, doesn’t mean it’s right for me.
·
Get up early and exercise. Nope. Not gonna
happen. I’ve tried and tried because I know it’s a good time to work out for
many people. That said, unless there are zombies chasing me, I’m not going to
get out of bed at 5 AM.
·
Meditate. OH, how I wish I could do this.
Meditation is a proven stress reducer and an effective way to practice being in the
moment. Again, this is something I’ve tried repeatedly. I even downloaded the
app Headspace and did the 10 day
starter program. For about three days. I just can’t stick to it. I have managed to develop a love of
yoga, however, and that has a certain meditative quality. Does that count?
·
Follow a “diet plan”. Not paleo, vegan or raw.
No South Beach, Atkins or Zone. Forget about grapefruit and cabbage soup. Not
going to cleanse or count carbs. Likewise for meal replacement shakes. These strategies
are helpful for others but don’t work for me.
·
Eat my way through the weekend. When did “cheat
meal” become a cheat weekend? I've GOT to practice a tad more self-control in that area!
·
Compare. Sometimes I look at #fitinspo pictures
of women with rock hard abs and no cellulite and it makes me want to throw in
the towel. The thing is, I know nothing about that fitness model with the six-pack.
Maybe she’s airbrushed and photo-shopped. Maybe she never eats and works out 3
hours a day. Or just has great genes. The point is, comparison is the thief of
joy. Not going there.
What are you NOT doing this year?
