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Start the New Year Off Right!

by Susan Farrell

Every year at this time, everyone asks me the same question: So what are your New Year's resolutions?

I've come to realize that I don't want to make any resolutions anymore. The word resolution to me is so final and demanding. It says to me here is something you said you are going to complete ... Something you HAVE to resolve in its entirely before the end of year or you have FAILED!

No thanks. Life hands me too many changes and challenges without that looming over my head all year long! The negative connotation and stress is enough to make me dread it all year long.

So instead, I've set goals for this year. And the timelines are not so constraining or demanding really. Goals, for me, involve steps, and progression towards the results. So I feel that even if I don't accomplish the final outcome by end of year, I still have made progress if I can see that I've made steps in that direction.

For example, I am planning to participate in the Danskin Mini-Triathlon again this year. Last year was my first time participating and I was the "run/walk" portion of a team of three, the other two completing the swim and bike portions. I was able to run/walk the 3.1 miles in a set amount of time. My GOAL is that I'd like to be able to take on the challenge of the entire mini-triathlon myself (do all three portions). By this year, I plan to do at least the bike and run portions, including improving my run/walk time. By next year, if not this year, I plan to do all three portions myself. I also plan to participate in at least a few 5K runs this summer before the mini-triathlon and have already found the sites on the net that list the local events and make a point to check them regularly.

The steps therefore to accomplish this goal is to train. I have already started running more, increasing my time, speed and distance each time, if only slightly. It is a challenge to myself and I self-talk the whole time: "C'mon, you can do it. You ran at least that much last time, so you can add even a tenth of a mile this time ... that's it ... picture that finish line ..."

Also, I'm planning to take swimming lessons this spring so I can learn to swim better and breathe properly for the swim portion. I'm a horrible swimmer so this is the portion that will be hardest and take the most training for me, but I'm taking steps to get there. This week, I looked up the locations and times of lessons and hope to sign up next week.

As for the bike portion, I will be training on the bikes at the gym until warm weather begins. Then I plan to ride at least one bike ride per week, adding distance each time.

Step-by-step you see. And I feel that I'm accomplishing something each and every time I am able to make a step, if only that "tenth of a mile".

Another goal I have is to practice the art of positive thinking, not only for myself, but encouraging others to do this as well. Getting rid of negative thinking can make all the difference in a life. It changes depression to hope. It changes problems to challenges. It changes self-degradation to self-esteem. A friend recently called and started to discuss her New Year's Resolutions with me. She was very negative and down about not having accomplished what she had resolved to do last year and started to stress over what she felt she had to get done this year. I encouraged her to change her paradigm.

Rather than think about what she didn't resolve, why not count what she had accomplished last year and develop a plan to step-by-step accomplish more this year. Originally she was upset that she hadn't found a new job or started her own business and that she and her boyfriend had broken up. I reminded her that she had finished schooling for web design, purchased a home computer to start her own business, was taking steps to set up her own business, was working out and had gotten rid of a relationship that wasn't meant to be and was meeting new people now, etc. Just a matter of how you look at it, but yet it has a powerful impact upon our emotions and attitude.

So start the year off right. Set goals, think positively, and count your blessings. And then go get 'em!

Susan Farrell is the single mother of two teenagers. Her many hobbies include writing, reading, gardening, cooking, traveling and camping, and trying new things with her children. Her motto: "Live, love, laugh." Life's just too short not to.