New Year’s resolutions have been around for a long time, thought to begin with the Babylonians, who made resolutions during extensive festivities to their gods and kings at least two thousand years before Jesus. The Romans paid homage to the two-faced god Janus, the god of beginnings and endings, by resolving to advance.
The practice has continued but has changed considerably. Although a sizable number are made but, only a minuscule number are kept after a few months. Assessing how you can improve your life is admirable, and we should do so often; however, one should carefully consider the resolution’s focus.
New Year is a good time to self-evaluate. Examine what is important to you that could be value-added and lies within your sphere of influence. My Mom told me from the time I was able to walk over and over, “Son, in this life if you don’t continually try to better yourself, you’ll surely wind up as sorry as dirt.” She exaggerated but made a point that guided me to grow mentally. WE ALL WANT TO GROW.
Make certain that whatever effort you desire to expend to improve is worth the endeavor. Consider what is most important that lies distinctly within your sphere of influence. Do not let temporary efforts edge out enduring endpoints. The more indispensable things are in living, the more important they are to us. Choose to improve important and enduring resolution goals.
Getting a novel, sought-after item such as a house or car is commendable, but it meets the best criteria of neither importance nor endurance. Seeking better employment meets both criteria but is outshined by your overall health. Pain or other physical discomfort commands our attention. Still, it is more enduring when we have a serious disease or condition. I have seen this happen many times, and everything else in life becomes unimportant. Maintaining health at a desired levels triumphs greatly over other accomplishments. But what extent of effort is necessary?
Choosing healthier living styles fits the criteria for success in resolution achievement wonderfully. Resolutions should be doable, not pie-in-the-sky stuff. They should have additional steps over time, and whether diet, exercise, or both are chosen, bits and pieces can be added or subtracted over time. Depending on your situation, your resolution can be designed to fit your lifestyle well.
Ponder which of the many healthier diet or exercise improvement steps would fit your lifestyle. One could start by excluding certain foods, such as processed ones, adding more courses of fruits and veggies, and so on and on. Physical activity likewise fits well. One can start slow and gradually increase walking or cardio at the gym. Depending on the fitness level, Tai Chi, yoga, or even Zumba can be started.
The quality of our lives is directly related to the quality of our thoughts and ideas. THINK HEALTHIER!
