Happy New Year from Your Burnaby Heights Chiropractic and Wellness Centre. Tis the season for New Year’s Resolutions, but what we have to say hear may change your mind. Sure lose weight, stop smoking, eat better, work out more, etc……are the biggest New Year’s plans for most, however, this year let’s really examine the psychology behind all of this and take a different approach.
I certainly understand, metaphorically, the idea of a ‘fresh start’ in the ‘new year.’ This is a concept that has been around for many years. In fact, I am totally amazed every year how many new faces are at the gym even at 5 am starting January 2nd. This type of thinking comes directly on the heels of a holiday season where people have let their bad habits slip even more than usual. Less sleep, more sugar, increased stress has left people feeling particularly lethargic and often times ill. This year will be different for sure; I am starting fresh in the New Year. I will lose 20 lbs, I am joining the gym, I will not smoke another cigarette, I am throwing away those muffins blah blah blah…! This sound wonderful in theory but most of the time these plans come crumbling down at the first obstacle. Now to the underlying thought process that affects most of us.
The average new years resolution lasts approximately 14 days, that’s right, 14 days. Wow, that isn’t even enough time to become a good habit. A good habit takes 21 days. This is what we are going to do different this time. We are going to set goals with action steps, not resolutions. This is not to say that someone can’t make a decision for a new year and stick with it. I know someone in my office that smoked for 20 years and just decided Jan 1st one year, they stopped smoking completely and kept that up. This blog is for the 98% of people who don’t do that. Goals have purpose, true meaning behind them. First make a list of the things you value most in life. Mine would be health, family, etc…..this list should consist of the five things in life you value most. Now ask yourself if your mental, physical, and spiritual well being are in line with those five important values. Behind every goal is true purpose, once this purpose is in line with your desired outcomes, you will be far more likely to reach your new years goals.
These goals can be broken down into professional and personal. A personal goal may be health, financial, social, family, vacation, service to community. There are many ways to break down your goals based on what you value most. As an example, if my most important value is family, playing with my kids, being active as a family etc…how can I do all of that if I am 20 lbs overweight, smoke cigarettes, don’t exercise, and sleep all day long? Well, I can’t. My value of family driven by purpose is what propels me to eat the way I do, exercise at 5 am daily, meditate, get adjusted by my chiropractor every week, get massages, go on vacations, take yoga and so on. These things are driven by my purpose.
This year, look at your life in goals, not resolutions, discover your purpose and let the upcoming year be your best ever. The results may just amaze you.
