What Is A New Years Resolution?

Main Entry: res·o·lu·tion
Pronunciation: "re-z&-'lü-sh&n
Function: noun
1 : the act or process of resolving: as a) the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b) the act of answering : SOLVING c) the act of determining
2 : the subsidence of a pathological state (as inflammation)
3 a) something that is resolved b) firmness of resolve
synonym see COURAGE
(I took out a couple lines of definitions that didn't apply to what I'm writing about...and they were boring)

I hate New Years resolutions, mostly because I break them and beat myself up about my lack of commitment. One would think that if we have areas in need of personal growth that we could do that ANY time of year. While this is true, I think it's easier to find a clear starting time. With this said, I have no New Years resolutions, but I do have a couple areas where I require growth...and my starting time happened to have been January 1.

Checking My Messages
This seems like a small feat, but I have SERIOUS issues with checking my work voicemail, as well as my cell phone. I'll look down at the phone (either one - the cell with it's obnoxious little envelope, the work phone with the mounting number of new messages) and feel dread. I don't want to take the time to check them, and procrastinate until the anxiety and guilt become unmanageable. If I know that I'll be carrying around a whole bunch of self-loathing, why don't I check them? By the time I get around to it, I may have 12 messages on each. I'm not performing as well as I could in either my professional, or my personal life.

So far, I've kept up on checking both phones. Simply, I check the messages and return the calls immediately after I see I have them. Seems simple, but I'm keeping an eye out for slipping in my resolution. It feels really good, and I hope I can make it a habit.

Healthier Me
It's no joke, I've gained 20 pounds in the last year. For a while I blamed it on my car accident last April...but that's a load of crap. It's mostly out of laziness and lack of energy...AND, if I were working out and eating well I would have more energy. Oh the irony.

It may seem like an odd first step, but I quit my gym. That's not the end...I JOINED the YMCA. My old gym was convenient when I lived and worked near it, but I don't go now that it's out of the way and parking is horrific. The Y is on my way to and from work. The old gym didn't have a track, pool, or steam room. I'd been doing the same workouts for seven years. The new gym has these things and I look forward to starting different activities.

It's rumored that a habit is formed after practicing it for 10 days. If I check my messages consistently for 10 days, and wake up motivated to do something active each day, then I should be on the road to overcoming these challenges. I thought it was interesting that in the definition of resolution, the synonym was COURAGE. I think it does take a certain amount of courage to change things about us. Don't we all strive to be better than we are? I guess some people don't...but I don't hang out with them. :)