Resolutions

Don’t let perfection be the enemy of progress!

Thought I’d spend a little time to encourage you (and myself!) to keep trying! Many people choose the start of the year to embark on self improvement programmes whether that be losing weight, getting fit, learning a language, decluttering or doing Veganuary/Dry January but resolve can start to slip as the days go on - especially if you’re trying to do all of them with a major life overhaul!

But an all or nothing approach is a problem and it gives no credit to any progress that you may have made. Instead of looking at what you have failed to do, look at what you have actually achieved. Broke Dry January on day 14? You didn’t drink for 13 days! Yay you!! If you are in the habit of having a drink with dinner every night then not drinking at all is a major success - give yourself credit!

Sometimes baby steps are needed. You’ve probably set these challenges because you are aware that you need to change something but often we are too hard on ourselves and set ridiculous targets. Sometimes we need to realise where we are and break our target into more manageable steps. If you rarely exercise you are unlikely to stick to going to the gym every day but you probably could stick to ‘go for a 10/15 minute walk after lunch’. Then you can bask in this accomplishment before upping your goal and before you know it you’re doing the couch to 10K (if you really want to - this will never be on my list of accomplishments!!)

There is never a perfect time to start and life will always get in the way. But I think that this is probably yet another example of where doing it ‘right’ 80% of the time is enough and is at the very least a very good start! So resolutions not quite going to plan? Keep trying and maybe start to think about when you find sticking to your plans hard - can you spot a pattern? Are you asking too much of yourself at the moment? Or do you just need to cut yourself some slack and pat yourself on the back for the progress you ARE making? Decluttered the hall cupboard - woohoo! Managed to have only one biscuit despite your stressful day? Well done! Amazing! Turn it around and congratulate yourself on what you have done and build on that. And if you didn’t even get started? Don’t wait for Monday, the 1st February, Spring, when you retire . . NOW is the best time to start!

Here’s to successfully achieving our goals!!