I am not an advocate of New Year’s resolutions. I understand the desire to make them for sure. New Year, new you. I get that. However, real change takes time. Old habits take time to break and new habits take time to form. Dietary changes are difficult, Waking earlier for any reason much less an unpleasant reason like a creaky trip to the gym or running when you are out of shape is very hard. Don’t take my word for it. Look it up yourself. When you do (if you do) you’ll find that the success rate for New Year’s resolutions for Americans is 6 to 9%. For perspective, that is just slightly better than the 4% chance of being seriously injured around your home during the year.
Real change is found through concerted effort over time. Maybe nature has something to teach us here. Slower, more sustained efforts creates beauty and lasting results. Spring is a single day on our calendars but it is also a season of transformation. Dormant plants send up shoots. Migratory animals return home. Flowers blossom.
If you were one of million who made New Years resolutions and fell short, don’t cancel your gym membership. Don’t throw away those running shoes. Don’t get rid of the art supplies. You can do it. Whatever IT IS. Try reframing your efforts as a gradual transformation with consistent effort. Find an “accountability buddy”. Someone who will check you when your humanness creeps in and you don’t want to get out of bed when the alarm goes off (or whatever). Finally, allow yourself the grace to know that it is your journey. You may fall now and again and skin your knee. The skinned knee is much less important than the getting up and the getting going. You will fall. It happens. Allow yourself that grace and please be encouraged to continue.
If you or someone you know is struggling, there is help. Call 988 or if you are in the Big Bend of Florida call 211. The 2nd Alarm Project has many resources available as well (2ndalarmproject.org). If you are interested in getting notified when a new blog is posted and are not subscribed, please consider subscribing by entering your email in the “subscribe” icon on the home page. Then you’ll get an email each time a new blog is posted. If you appreciate what you have read here, please feel free to share as you are led across your social media or via email. There just might be someone out there who needs to see this content. Thank you all and stay safe.
On Beyond Blue 