Today is the first day of the rest of your life! No time like the present! This year will be the best ever!
Ah, the enthusiasm that we have at the start of the New Year. It is a day to start over, begin again, to truly see the possibilities of our lives. Then January 2 rolls around and half of that hope has been dashed as we break the first of many resolutions that we set on January 1. This is especially the case for people struggling with their weight. For those of you who have had weight loss surgery or are preparing for the surgery, the New Year probably has a lot of meanings for you.
Instead, this year, I invite you notto make any resolutions this year, except for one. Learn to use the word “choice” as an intricate part of your vocabulary on a daily and regular basis. Making New Year’s resolutions generally ends up with us saying, “I really should have done that.” “I really shouldn’t have done this.” Let’s face it, we are only human and we are going to do things that are not healthy for us. Yes, we are going to overeat on occasion. Yes, we are going to neglect exercising once in a while. Yes, we are not going to get out required protein every single day. Once we realize that we are NOT perfect then it is easier to deal with our transgressions—and thus, get started again.
Guilt is an unproductive emotion. When we feel guilty for whatever reason, it generally doesn’t help us move forward. We stay stuck. Guilt is like cement boots. We don’t move ahead, we tend to regress. Using words like should, would, could, have to, all keep us trapped. As an alternative, when you do not do something you feel like you should have done, like exercise, say, “I made a choice not to exercise today. I can make a different choice tomorrow or later or now.” Choice changes everything. We do have control over what we do when see it as a choice. For most of us, our parents or other past influences are not standing over us as we reach for that unhealthy food. They are not in the passenger seat as we turn into the drive-thru. It is just us. We have a choice.
So as you start the New Year instead of continuing a vicious cycle of beating yourself up for what you should have done—make a different choice.
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