It's a New Year. It's time for a new start...
According to StatisticBrain.com, 45% of Americans make New Year's resolutions. And you guessed it, the #1 resolution is to... LOSE WEIGHT. But in case you're wondering, here's what the top 10 list usually looks like:
1 Lose Weight
2 Getting Organized
3 Spend Less, Save More
4 Enjoy Life to the Fullest
5 Staying Fit and Healthy
6 Learn Something Exciting
7 Quit Smoking
8 Help Others in Their Dreams
9 Fall in Love
10 Spend More Time with Family
But making the resolution is only the beginning (the easy part). Sticking with it and making it happen is what most of us find hard. Of the 45% of people that make resolutions, only about 8% are successful. But what does success look like?
Resolution maintained through first week 75 %
Past two weeks 71 %
Past one month 64 %
Past six months 46 %
Why is that? Well ... the answer varies per individual. But, if we're honest and really listen to that voice inside, we already know that part of being successful at anything we want is having the mental strength and commitment to doing it. It has to be a priority. If it is not a priority, then we don't have time for it ... or better yet, we don't MAKE time for it.
I recently read an article on Business Insider about the 13 things that Mentally Strong People Avoid and coming in at #3 is: They do not shy away from change. They embrace it. In fact, if you dig a bit deeper, there are 5 stages of change: pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Following through with each of the five steps is crucial. So if we apply this thinking to a New Years' resolution:
1 - The thought crosses your mind (pre-contemplation)
2 - You actually spend some time thinking about it (contemplation)
3 - You start thinking about when you'd like to start, how you'd do it, all the details (preparation)
4 - You actually commit and start (take action)
5 - You keep at it. You don't quit. You make your goal part of your lifestyle (maintenance)
So today, like any day ... is a special day. You're alive. You're breathing. You're aware. You just ARE. So, make today the day that you decide to do something about it. Pay Your Health First. Do something for yourself. Apply the stages of change to whatever you want to accomplish this year and beyond. If it is about losing weight, do it. If it is about having more time to spend with family, do it. If it is about de-cluttering, do it. Whatever it is, make a plan to do it and stick with it. Everything, in the end, will come back to you. To how it makes you feel and how much value it adds to your life.
Commit to thrive in 2017 and Pay Your Health First!
Cheers -- here's to a Happy New You,
-- Chris
