Every new year people create resolutions. I personally don’t believe in new year’s resolutions because I know it takes more than the day on the calendar to sustain a resolution. I do however believe in growing and creating changes in your life to better yourself and to help manifest your “level up” moment. Here are four different ways of thinking to help me maintain changes I am trying to create. These can be implemented on any day of the year.
Form Habits. To make an effective transformation that will last past January, it must be more than a change. Different daily behaviors will help to form a habit. Many people believe a habit is formed within 21 days. This is a misunderstood theory that has turned into a myth and a meme. Researchers examined and found that the average time it takes for a new habit to stick is an average of 66 days. Basically, meaning if you say you want to go the gym or you want to lose weight for the new year, a ball dropping at the stroke of midnight is not going to do the trick. Forming a habit is very difficult, continuing said changed habit is even more difficult. I used to go the gym at 5AM before work, and I desperately want to get back to that routine, but I haven’t. The hardest part is starting; therefore, I try to make it easier to start. I try to go to bed early, have my gym clothes out my keys on the steps near the door. Once I get there it’s not so bad, I am pushing thru, once I leave I feel like that wasn’t so bad at all. I actually feel like I can conquer the world! LOL I get back up the next day and go thru the same process, but eventually after about a week or so it no longer feels like a chore. It then feels like second nature my body starts to naturally wake up before 5AM, my mentality has now changed working out is like eating breakfast I now enjoy it. My habit is formed but my issue is keeping the habit once I start to see my results- thicker thighs, round butt, flatter stomach!!! I start to back track and forget I had to work for these rewards. Counting down 5.4.3.2…1 is not going to magically cure my need to maintain change.
Commit to trying something new. Whenever a change is being made it requires one to go out of their comfort zone. I have certainly improved but getting out of my comfort zone can be challenging because it’s not comfortable!! When I have taken inventory and realize I am not progressing because of fear I commit to trying something new. It doesn’t have to be anything drastic, I usually will start with eating out. When I go to dinner at a restaurant I normally get the same thing. Each place I have eaten at before has something I tried and loved so much that I have never tried anything else. Simple as this sounds it’s a baby step for me. Choosing to get steak instead of salmon begins to wrap my mind around the fact of trying something new. If it’s not dinner it may be a shade of lipstick I normally wear red or a deep burgundy I may try a pink or brown, or instead of wearing all black I may wear some color. These small steps of trying something new prepares me to try something new on a bigger scale.
The beginning can be any day you choose. I think a lot of people are attach to new year’s resolutions because starting something new on the first feels fresh. I can relate to that way of thinking because every year on my birthday I treat that as my new year. I don’t make official resolutions, but I think about what I’ve learned about myself and take inventory of what I like and what I didn’t like. I think of new ways and behaivors to get me closer to be the woman I want to be. In my mind and heart, it’s the beginning but on the calendar, it is the twenty fifth. My point is that the beginning and anew can be any day you choose. It can be a Monday because it’s the start of the week, you can start on the first of a month because it’s a new month. It can be on a date that has a special significance for you maybe a year ago you had a baby and that is the day you choose to start your commitment to running. You have the power to choose your fresh start whenever you like.
Take 100% responsibility for where you are in life. I recently read in a book about manifesting your ideal life the first phase that needs to occur is to take responsibility for where you are in life. Before I can level up I have to be honest and acknowledge I am where I am in my life because of the choices I have made. Even as adults we like to blame, I mean think that a lot of our current life issues are because of our parents and their mistakes. Maybe you constantly find yourself helping your sister financially and its holding you back. Possibly if your ex didn’t leave you, you would be living in a better home. Will Smith shared his thoughts on fault versus responsibility essentially saying it doesn’t matter who’s fault it is if something is broken, if it is your responsibility to fix it. Meaning it doesn’t matter what your mother did or didn’t do as a child because it’s your life and your responsibility to make sure you’re okay. If you decide to continue put yourself after helping your sister, it’s your responsibility to change your way of thinking. If your ex has left and it’s your responsibility to take care of your children, you don’t have time or energy to focus on the negative. This one can be complicated, but I am working on it consistently because fault and responsibility doesn’t go together. Ultimately your mentality must be as victor and not a victim.
So, my peoples when making changes remember it takes work and tap in to your power! Thanks for stopping by.
Wishing you no pain unless its Champagne!
The QuEEn