I actually do have some "resolutions" this year, one of which, like many people’s, is fitness related. It’s not really as concrete as people say goals of this type should be. I’m not trying to lose weight, or get super fit. Just get a little healthier, so I’m not a lazy lump anymore.
I got up early one morning and did ten minutes of yoga. And I was ridiculously proud of myself all day. And because it was such a small thing, it was easy to do it again. Now I’m doing twenty minute yoga videos about three times a week.
In the past I’ve had a tendency to get over excited, and bite off more than I can chew. Working out for an hour, thinking about how great it would be to do this “every day,” and then quickly burning out and going back to doing nothing.
This doesn’t just relate to fitness, either. We can get overexcited about any goal, and set unrealistic expectations. We end up in a cycle of bursts of excitement, doing too much, burning out, and temporarily giving up until our excitement builds enough again to lead to another burst of activity.
That’s why I don’t like “New Year’s resolutions.” They’re prominent in our minds in January, but after a few months and a few failed attempts, we tend to just forget out them instead of renewing them. Plus, I'm trying to establish a lifestyle, not give up once 2021 hits.
If you’ve ever been on any sort of self improvement kick, you may have been overwhelmed by the number of things we’re supposed to do “every day.” Meditate, journal, read, exercise, get out in nature, skin care routines, etc, etc. All these things beg you to do them every day, because then you’ll see results! The benefits! But… The stress, though. All of these things are supposed to help you reduce stress, yet the trap of “every day” causes more stress than it relieves.
So, maybe pick one of those things that you can actually do every day. Or try doing each of the things once a week. Or, even just pick one to do a couple of times a week. Once you establish a routine based on that one little step, you can build upon it. Small and consistent will take you further than you think. And if you’re annoyed at how long that will take?
I got up early one morning and did ten minutes of yoga. And I was ridiculously proud of myself all day. And because it was such a small thing, it was easy to do it again. Now I’m doing twenty minute yoga videos about three times a week.
In the past I’ve had a tendency to get over excited, and bite off more than I can chew. Working out for an hour, thinking about how great it would be to do this “every day,” and then quickly burning out and going back to doing nothing.
This doesn’t just relate to fitness, either. We can get overexcited about any goal, and set unrealistic expectations. We end up in a cycle of bursts of excitement, doing too much, burning out, and temporarily giving up until our excitement builds enough again to lead to another burst of activity.
That’s why I don’t like “New Year’s resolutions.” They’re prominent in our minds in January, but after a few months and a few failed attempts, we tend to just forget out them instead of renewing them. Plus, I'm trying to establish a lifestyle, not give up once 2021 hits.
If you’ve ever been on any sort of self improvement kick, you may have been overwhelmed by the number of things we’re supposed to do “every day.” Meditate, journal, read, exercise, get out in nature, skin care routines, etc, etc. All these things beg you to do them every day, because then you’ll see results! The benefits! But… The stress, though. All of these things are supposed to help you reduce stress, yet the trap of “every day” causes more stress than it relieves.
So, maybe pick one of those things that you can actually do every day. Or try doing each of the things once a week. Or, even just pick one to do a couple of times a week. Once you establish a routine based on that one little step, you can build upon it. Small and consistent will take you further than you think. And if you’re annoyed at how long that will take?
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