The new year is almost here. What excites you most about it? Maybe it’s the idea of wiping the slate clean and starting over. Or perhaps it is the ritual of making those resolutions to achieve more and do better.
According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 45 percent of Americans make resolutions; however, many of those people had abandoned their resolutions after three months. While I am sure most people have great intentions, and want to achieve their resolutions, the stumbling block for most is that they have brought the habits, attitudes, and behaviors that haven’t worked in the past year into the present.
If you want something new, you must do something new … and yes, it can be scary and it is work.
If you are ready to confidently make 2017 YOUR year, then keep reading. What separates the people that achieve their goals from the those that don’t? These four habits, attitudes, and behaviors certainly are not an exhaustive list, but it is a great start. The first habit to leave in 2016 is:
The habit of procrastination
We have all had our moment or two with procrastination. Putting off balancing the check book, cleaning the closet, or getting up an hour early like we promised to go work out. I laugh as I write this paragraph, because it applies to me as well, so let’s all have a good laugh.
There are several types of procrastinators, from the drama addict or the angry giver to the neurotic perfectionist, but the bottom line is that prolonged avoidance is an invitation to pain.
To leave procrastination behind, you have to identify the underlying cause of the procrastination. Is it to control a situation, to rebel, to avoid pain, or some other reason? When you can name it, then you can address it and finally put it behind you, or at least learn how to navigate it.
Stop the comparison game
Social media is my adult playground. I have made some great relationships through Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. At the same time, it was also a source of great discomfort for me and maybe for you, too. Like most of you, I would spend way too much time mindlessly scrolling through Instagram photos and thus, I found myself comparing my body — which did the miraculous job of growing two humans — to the half-naked Photoshopped bodies of 20-something-year-old women. The comparison game is self-inflicted cruelty.
My suggestion? Scroll through your Instagram account and check your feed. If the images in the accounts you follow leave you feeling empty or wishing you had that body, un-follow that account now. Life is too short to not feel like you are enough just the way you are, which brings me to the third habit you can leave in 2016:
The daily weigh-in
I know people that weigh themselves several times a day. Did you know that the average person has a five-pound weight fluctuation in an average day? Functions like breathing, sweating, eating, and drinking all influence the number on the scale. I understand that you want to see progress (especially if your goal is to release weight) however, constantly weighing yourself and wishing for the scale to magically show your magic number is not going to make it happen any faster. Instead, focus on the inches you are loosing and how you feel in your clothes.
Negative inner
(and outer) dialogue
This is probably the biggest behavior you can leave in 2016 that will have the biggest impact on your life. What you think about yourself or someone else eventually comes out of your mouth! Think about that for a moment. Women are so quick to think and make negative comments about themselves. Let’s make a pledge to make a conscious decision to stop talking negatively about ourselves and others — yes, even the nosey neighbor we can’t stand. The next time you catch yourself thinking a negative thought, stop and speak a word of gratitude.
I sincerely wish each of you a very happy and prosperous New Year, and while it can be a little scary (let’s be honest, it can be downright scary) to let go of the familiar — even if it is dysfunctional — and embrace something new, I know you can do it. Let 2017 be your year of “Yes!”
Golda Smith, a mom of two, is a certified personal trainer and health coach living in Brooklyn. She blogs at FitMo
