Aspire to Create Resolutions you might actually keep!

So the new year is underway and despite the fact that you very consciously did NOT make any New Year’s resolutions, you find yourself pondering that perhaps you should have.

You’re not alone. Even though you have in years past resolved to lose weight, exercise more, take up painting, travel the world, write the perfect novel, find a cure for all diseases, eradicate war the world over, you – and countless other sensible people like you – have finally come to the conclusion that New Year’s resolutions are not for you.

Well, take heart. There are some resolutions you may be motivated enough to keep. If you put the right spin on your resolutions, you will find that you can accomplish just about anything.

Start small, as in: “I resolve to get out of bed each morning (provided I’m not sick).” There, now, don’t you feel better? Finally, a resolution you can keep!

Once you’ve mastered that, you can move up to something even more productive, such as: “Once out of bed, I resolve to make the bed each morning.” Not too difficult and you will feel so pleased with yourself as you stand back and admire the neatly made bed (don’t forget to point this out to everyone in the household, as you truly are setting a fine example).

Next, if you’re up to it, you can try a real challenge: “I resolve to clean out the fridge more often.” Well, maybe that’s asking a bit much, but you can always try.

So now, you’re getting the idea of how to approach this whole resolution thing. Here are a few more suggestions to get you on your way to achievable resolutions in 2016:

• Resolve to do something each day that makes you feel good: treat yourself to a latte; have a bubble bath and a glass of wine while reading a favourite book; roll down the car windows while you sing along to Pavarotti (you’ll just love the looks you get from other motorists).
• Resolve not to procrastinate (at least not as much as you did in 2015). The longer you put something off, the more stress you feel, both psychologically and physically, so it only makes sense to do the jobs at hand before they grow to giant monsters eating away at your health and sanity (picture in your mind a scene from Predator). If you do find yourself procrastinating, fill the time with other useful activities (cleaning the bathroom instead of writing that report; making muffins instead of cleaning the fridge). That way, at least something will get done.
• Resolve to put down the smart phone more often, stop playing candy crush, step away from the tablet and have a real conversation with a real human being (you know, like your family – if you can remember their names and what they look like). I know, I know, with real-time conversations you do have to be quick with your responses, as you do not have time to think out what to type, but you will be amazed at how refreshing it is to truly talk with a fellow human being – in person, no less!
• Resolve not to flip out if your well-choreographed plans come to naught. Remind yourself that you are flexible, that you are capable of adjusting and adapting to changing circumstances, that the world won’t come to an end if an important meeting has to be cancelled (due to a blizzard that is keeping every right-minded person off the roads). Just shrug your shoulders, say, “C’est la vie” and make new plans. (This will probably drive a few of the control freaks around you crazy, but that’s their problem.)

These are just a few ideas, but you can easily expand from here.   Life chaotic enough without our contributing to the frenzy with our own inner conflicts.