What does it take to change a pattern that we’ve set up in our daily lives? I mean to stop snacking on the sweets during the day, to actually cook vegetables with dinner, to take the time for a walk after lunch, to be more patient with our co-workers or our children, to quit smoking, or to be more ambitious with our goals. This time of year comes and we may admit to ourselves that it’s time to make that change. I’ve heard the question around these New Year’s resolutions, “What are you willing to suffer for?”
Are You Set on Cruise Control?
I think many of us sort of get set on cruise control through our week or life. We’re just trying to keep on time or not get in trouble or make enough money. We’ve fallen into the patterns we find ourselves in because of ease, comfort, fear, or what seems like survival. Because I’m a health care provider, I see people wanting to change how they treat their bodies specifically at this time of year. Changing a pattern may mean suffering through the discomfort or fear or inner angst. Being disciplined and staying motivated to continue to head in the direction that you want to is not easy or comfortable. When our children say that something isn’t fair, we often respond with, “Who said life is fair?” It doesn’t feel fair to have to deprive ourselves of the sweets or cigarettes or to have to push ourselves to get up a little earlier for some exercise.
Do You Feel Passion, Excitement, Joy?
My hope for you is to find the passion in what you are committing to change or achieve. Get truly excited about what you want to accomplish. Is it for your body’s sake or for your family, your community, humanity at large? Your excitement should make you want to share your goal with everyone. You may find two parts of you involved in this change: one with the passion, excitement, motivation, and discipline, and the other part telling you this isn’t fair. You’ll have a choice of which part you want to focus more of your attention on. And as we also tell our children, “If you fall down, get right back up.”
I also hope that you can find enjoyment in what you’ll be doing differently. I don’t enjoy running, but I love to play tennis in the summer and downhill ski in the winter. I greatly look forward to meeting my friend to hit the ball around or to looking out from the ski mountain. A goal of mine is to figure out how to do more of these things in my weekly life. I think many can understand the enjoyment of managing firewood through the seasons. Can you tell how your body feels enlivened when doing such activities? It can be the same when eating healthy meals. Pay close attention to the joy of tasting the food and also how it makes your body feel. Listen to your music when cooking the vegetables.
If you’re committed to stopping a habit that is only hurting you, you can help bolster your will power when making this change by replacing the difficult moments of refrain with a bit of enjoyment. Those first couple weeks of quitting smoking can be some of the most difficult weeks of one’s life. A little bit of joy can ease that suffering a degree or two. If you’re committing to making a change for the better, make sure to be smart about these choices for yourself. Set yourself up the best you can to succeed.
A Good Time for Resolutions
It’s a custom that many think is cliché, but I think now’s a great time to really look at where your passion is and see if you’re doing it most days or heading toward it. As we each have our unique life to live, we might as well give our time and energy to what we truly feel is important, do the things that we truly enjoy. We have the choice to make the changes that we know are best for us and our loved ones, even through some suffering.