This year, resolve to celebrate your achievements
2018 has just begun! And, as usual, along with the start of a new year comes the wave of ambitions for a refresh, restart or renewal for many individuals. The new year is a time that many associate with the opportunity to change for the better, to do something that has a positive impact on ourselves or others. It sounds wonderful doesn’t it?
But the ambitious and positive nature of the traditional New Year’s resolution is often wrapped in anot-so-silver lining of negativities, expectations of failure and anxiety. The news that seems to infiltrate our lives only milliseconds after the clock passes midnight on December 31 is overflowing with statistics about how many people fail to keep their resolutions mere days into making them, articles on how many people have goals that are unattainable, and the general idea that no matter how well intentioned our resolutions are, we are simply destined to fall off track long before we reach the finish line. For most people, this kind of environment serves as nothing more than a medium for boosting self-doubt, stress and feelings of disappointment.
So this year, I’m saying NO! ... and I hope you’ll join me. I think it’s about time we say goodbye to a tradition that lowers our self esteem, heightens our anxiety, and focuses on negative attitudes and connotations (think about how many resolutions are anchored in stopping or losing something deemed to be ‘bad’ or ‘harmful?’).
Instead, I think we should turn our perspective around resolutions to one of celebration — let’s choose to CELEBRATE the opportunities and achievements we have every day. After all, the core idea of the New Year’s resolution is rooted in positive opportunity and fresh perspectives.
What if we created resolutions that focused more on overall attitudes and behaviours, rather than a harsh target or a finite level of achievement? Ones that focus on contributing positively to our lives, that boost our confidence and self awareness, and promote a more encouraging atmosphere for personal growth.
When we make resolutions or goals, we often forget that we are humans, not robots or machines. We work as dynamic, ever-changing individuals, and our success or achievement cannot be measured by a statistical unit. While we might be able to validate the achievement of a machine in a factory based on physical measure of productivity, a human is much more complex than a machine. Our success in reaching a specific goal is just as complex and dynamic as we are, and rather than a physical measure, it is our intrinsic feelings of success and a sense of achievement that hold the greatest personal value.
So how do we create a positively focused resolution and achieve it?
1. Firstly, take inventory of what your perspectives and attitudes are around resolutions today. Are you thinking in terms of adding to or building on something good in your life or are you thinking of eliminating or reducing something? If you are thinking negatively, how you can change the perception to a more holistic and positive view?
2. Take a broad lens when you think about what it is you really want to achieve. This can be challenging, because it is about removing the physical measure associated with typical resolutions, and structuring your goal so that it is rooted in a positive notion and supports a confident, “can-do” attitude. For example, take the resolution “I want to quit smoking.” If we take a step back, and start to look more intuitively, we can start to think about the kinds of positive achievements one might associate with quitting smoking — increased health/wellness, having more energy, saving money, etc. In this instance, the resolution might become “I want to feel more energized.” As a result, the focus becomes on attitudes and behaviours that positively affect energy and quality of life, and provide intrinsic value.
More examples of intuitive/dynamic resolutions: I want to … … increase my confidence with something
… be more in tune with my emotions … try a new activity … be more involved with my community
… have a more positive attitude at work/home … be more creative 3. Create a road map that provides encouragement and a supportive environment. With my clients, I like to break down resolutions or goals into tiny steps, the first being setting a daily achievement for your resolutions. For example, if ‘more energy’ is your goal, maybe taking three deep breaths every morning (or most mornings) before you get out of bed is your daily achievement. On a larger scale, your road map might consider the types of perceptions, attitudes, behaviours and resources that can encourage and support your resolution (i.e. for more energy, one might try a new yoga class, or aim for a more regular bed time routine). Consider and reflect on the aspects of yourself that might be positively affected by achieving your goal, whether they be physical, emotional, social or intellectual. For example, having more energy might affect my physical alertness, social participation, emotional calmness, and ability to focus intellectually.
4. Lastly, and more importantly, celebrate your successes, and restructure your road map as necessary. Remember to think of achievement as a dynamic and fluid sense, a positive feeling, and ever-changing destination.
Nicole Pin is a registered dietitian in Burlington. Nicole’s practice embraces the principles of mindful and intuitive eating to bring about sustainable and positive change with clients. For more information visit: enjoyyourfoodrd.com. Special to The Hamilton Spectator