Resolve to Create Change in Your Life

Resolve to create change in your life, no matter how small, at any time of the year!

Thinking back to the New Year's, I realized that I have never been huge on New Year’s Resolutions. The idea of making changes in your life is good, yes, but I find resolutions work best when you truly are ready to make one... 

But more often than not, we think of something we’ve been meaning to do, decide that now is the time to make it happen, and call that our resolution.  

Many times, little planning or preparation, or actual readiness prefaces these goals. 

If you are struggling with a resolution you’ve set, here are a couple of things to remember in the coming months to help you stay on track.

• No goal is too small. The purpose of a resolution is to create change. This can be something as simple as walking to work, for example. Just because you only walked to work once this week, doesn’t mean you failed, if you never used to walk to work at all. 
• Come back to why you chose this goal. Why was it important to you? Remind yourself of the reasons you chose THIS out of all the changes you could’ve picked.
• Reset your goal. Your goal was to exercise more and you’ve missed 5 days in a row at the gym. That doesn’t mean it’s time to quit, it’s just time to get back on track. Examine what isn’t working about your current plan, and think of a way to rework it. If a morning exercise routine isn’t getting done, try instead for afternoons. 
• Progress is progress. Start slow and work your way in. Whether we are talking about exercise or being healthy, or anything else. Making drastic changes can seem simple in the beginning, but goals should be sustainable in order for us to keep them. 
• Be thankful for the changes you have made. You may not be anywhere near achieving your goal, but what have you accomplished?  Maybe you realized something that was a new priority. Maybe you are one step closer to achieving your goal in the coming months. Take time to look at the positive and see how far you’ve come, instead of how far you still have to go. 

SARAH BREGEL Sarah Bregel lives in Baltimore with her husband and their daughter, Piper. She is a freelance writer, women's personal trainer and avid yogi. She believes "everything in moderation" is the best advice in the world. You can also find her at www.BabyBregelBausum.blogspot.com and www.FreeWomanFitness.com.