Fresh Starts …

by Jean Fudge

'Tis the time of year to hear about New Year’s Resolutions. A determination to “do it right.” To eat right, exercise, work smarter, work less, spend more time with family, go back to school, get a new job, get a new attitude … oh my gosh. It’s exhausting just thinking about it!

So … my holiday gift to you is to share what helps me cope.

First, I get a fresh start every morning. Not only that … if I have a slip in the morning, I remind myself that I can get back on track throughout each day. A nutrition counselor shared a scenario that helps me with this. If you woke up and discovered your car had a flat tire, would you flatten the other three tires? No! But that’s what we do when we say “Oh, I blew it. Might as well pig out …” Sounds kind of silly now, doesn’t it!

Another indispensable tool is to ask myself “What about me?” I find that the better I treat myself, the better I treat others. Not in the “hot fudge sundae” meaning of “treat.” More like treating myself kindly and asking for help when I need it. Especially when I get really busy, I tend to push myself too hard and get grumpy. If I can support myself and ask for help when I need it, life will naturally go smoother and I will naturally treat everyone better.

A good question to ask is “Is this realistic?” I may want to finish my degree this year, but if I have a lot of classes, and if I have a full time job and small children, it will probably take longer. Pushing myself harder isn’t going to make it happen. The flip side of this is to ask myself if I really want to accomplish the goal. If it’s something I “should” do but my heart’s really not in it, the task will be a lot more difficult - or impossible - to accomplish.

Two other strategies I like are “start small” and “make it fun.” Especially when it comes to things like exercising and changing my diet. Realistically, I’m not going to go from couch potato to marathon runner overnight. (Hey … wait a minute … that’s going WAY overboard!) But I think I can find a dance class that sounds fun and vow to show up. That’s a good start. If I can do that, maybe I’ll think about joining a gym. A couple months into the new year. After the “resolution crowd” has burned out. That way, I won’t have to wait in line for a machine … or a shower.

The best thing about my plan is that it’s never too late to start. While others are making grand plans, I can make small plans and spend more time enjoying the holidays. When others have mammoth struggles within themselves, I can go to my dance class and have fun. When others lament blowing their “perfect” plan, I can relax and realize that it’s never too late for a fresh start.