A Way to Make Your New Year's Resolution(s) Last

Hi everyone, and happy early new year! As we're eager to begin the new year, and start thinking about all that we're going to accomplish, our hopes, our dreams.....I encourage you to take a minute to reflect on the greatness that 2007 brought you. Take a moment and jot down all that you're proud of accomplishing this past year. What are some of those moments that jump out at you? Is it sticking to healthy eating for a certain period of time? Is it that you did better than you could've imagined in a race? Or, are you proud of your newly sculpted muscles that you didn't even know you had?

In thinking about all of your successes, think about what the actions were that made them successful. Was it having a buddy to encourage you? Was it not hitting the snooze button? Was it about buying the bulk of your groceries every weekend and planning your meals for the week ahead?

On the other hand, what are some of the things that didn't work out as you'd planned? Why weren't you able to accomplish some of those things? Was it because your calendar was too full? Was it because you don't have the time to make your meals?

In thinking about what you want to do in the year ahead, take a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle. We're going to make your resolutions easier to achieve by breaking it down into smaller time periods. Often, when we set new year's resolutions, we lose our resolve a couple of weeks in thinking that we have another 50 or so weeks left in the year to accomplish our goals. But, by breaking them down into "bite-sized" doable goals, you'll be able to focus on specific actions for a specific amount of time...that makes your goals timely and action oriented.

On the left hand side write down your goals for the next four weeks....remember, you're starting change or moving ahead from where you've currently left off. Make your goals things that are stretch goals (something you'll have to work at), but realistic. (And make them specific). On the right hand side of the paper, write down what action steps you're going to take to achieve your goals. See the example below:

Goals (In the Next 4 Weeks I want to: )	Action Steps
1. Transform my thinking into more positive thoughts – being grateful everyday and expand my thinking so that I’m more receptive to positive things and therefore, open to getting all of the success and happiness that’s out there to receive.	A. Each night before going to bed, give thanks for all that was good in my day. After giving thanks, intend for tomorrow to be a great day. Think about what I want to achieve and do and be, and know that I WILL do that. B. Every morning when I wake up, BEFORE getting out of bed, give thanks for all that I have, and review my positive intentions for the day ahead, and give thanks as though I’ve already received what I’ve asked for.
2. Resume my duathlon training regimen. Building up my running strength to consistently do 4 miles at an 8:30 pace; and bike for 45 minute intervals.	A. Week 1: Get back into routine of working out consistently 4 days a week for total of 1 ½ hours. Resume jogging by doing interval training, jog for 4-5 minutes with 1-2 minute walking breaks in between. Weight train two times per week. B. Week 2: Continue above listed routine, adding one minute to each jogging segment, and reducing walking segments to no more than 1.5 minutes. C. Week 3: Continue above listed routine, now add in biking segment (20 minutes) before running (30 minutes) lifting (35 minutes) stretching (5 minutes). On non-lifting days, do 35-40 minutes on bike and 40-50 minutes jogging, and add in stretching. D. Week 4: Continue plan from week 3, but speed up my runs and biking pedal rotation.