Why Do Resolutions Fail?
It’s the New Year which usually brings weight loss goals, new exercise plans and sometimes crazy expectations of what we “should” do to improve our life. I must confess, I started the New Year by jotting down a few things that I was going to do in my personal life and business. As I started writing them, I realized I lacked motivation and excitement to do any of them. They were not me. I was attempting to do what worked for others or what was “expected”. I knew I would fail miserably. I see many women doing the same thing to lose weight or improve their health. Their New Year Resolutions consists of the latest fad diet, exercise regimen or programs that worked in years past and then wonder, “why do resolutions fail? Once I admitted my “goals” would not work, I spent the morning revisiting the vision of my life I created just a few years back. A vision that describes who I really am and who I want to be. The person that brings a smile to my face and motivates me to set realistic goals with confidence that I can succeed. The same applies with health and fitness resolutions. Trying to do what works for others is unrealistic for your lifestyle will only leave feelings of failure and defeat. Creating a healthy vision will dictate the type of diet and exercise plan to follow.
What’s Your Healthy Vision? Have you taken a little time to reflect and write a health and wellness vision for what it is you want to be, look like and do? For example, “At my best level of health I am at peace with my body. I have energy and balance in every area of my life and I am taking the time to eat healthy and exercise 3 days a week.” At YOUR very best, what would you say?
DO YOUR GOALS SUPPORT YOUR VISION? Often time resolutions fail because they do not really support who a woman is or truly wants to be. Do the goals you set support that vision of who you want to be. For example • Do you desire energy, yet attempt to follow a fad diet that will drain your energy level? • Are you working to have life balance, but have committed to new projects and committees for the year? • Do you really want to eat healthy, yet have purchased the new diet supplements you read about in the grocery line? • Are you hoping to exercise consistently, yet trying to follow a new exercise plan that will never fit your lifestyle and schedule?
This year instead of trying a list of things you think you should do, I encourage you to take the time, even mediate and pray, and write a vision that describes a realistic, healthy you. Then take the appropriate steps that support that vision.
Habakkuk 2:2-3, says, And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it.
Why do resolutions, sometimes, fail? There is no vision, just things to do.