How
many of your New Year's Resolutions have you kept? Maybe you can't keep
your resolutions because you've made them too big or lofty, and they
seem out of reach. Using my "millimeter" approach to change, your
resolutions are not only achievable but easily done.
Tip #1: Make daily resolutions
-- what does that mean? You do things on a daily basis to achieve your
annual goal. You don't make, say, a resolution to lose 50 pounds and
then try and lose 50 pounds in a week or even a month. You do one thing a
day to help you achieve your overall resolution. Maybe that one thing
is to stop eating dessert with every meal. Maybe that one thing is to
cut one portion at every meal in half. Start with the small goals to
achieve the big changes. (Hint: daily scale watching will not make your
goal come any faster. Be patient and make small resolutions to step on
the scale weekly or even monthly). Also, weight loss should be about
getting healthy and feeling better so focus on what you're eating and
how much you're eating.
Tip #2: Persist
-- even if you're persisting in the small goals and doing them daily at
least you're staying the course. Persistence is the overall key to just
about any success. Most things with enough time and pressure (think
about Andy's escape hole in Shawshank Redemption) just take consistent work even if it's a small hole dug each day. Giving up is what leads to failure not continuing to try.
Tip #3: Believe you can do it
-- some things whether big or small all start in a person's belief in
themselves. Daily reinforcement and doing small things each day
reinforce our abilities to do something -- anything. And in just the
very effort of "doing" is making it "become" what you want. So believe
you can do it and if you have to look in the mirror and say it every
day, "I can do it!" then do so. Self-empowerment starts with you being
your very own fan and supporter.
