I already deconstructed your hopes and dreams of burying yourself in guilt and iniquity in the coming year as millions of people across America throw their collective hands up in the air and say (with mock emo-sighs), “Well, we tried!”
After buying the book, looking at the back cover, and then looking at the pretty pictures, we threw on our sneakers and walked out of the door, straight down to the minimart, and doused ourselves in a whipping-cream-to-the-mouth can of aerosol fail.
People make resolutions knowing full well the whole point of them is to end up like Amy Winehouse a week later, hair askew and face buried in a bowl of whatever the drug of choice is. We might not be yelling “Blaaaaakkkeee” as we stumble out of cars, with our chi-chis falling out of our shirts (that could count for you, too, fellas), but the truth remains: we stink at resolutions and we know it.
2. Get Smart.
Why do people fail at goals like resolutions?
For starters, we tend to order our resolution fail as the Vente-sized one.
Making goals too general (I will be skinny this year *fist pump of righteousness*) rather than in specific, bite-sized ones (I will lose 10 pounds this year), are the undoing of many a well-meaning dieter-to be– so fuggetaboutit.
Start with something you know you can do, and make it easy or at least tangible, will ya? Forget needing a book to make it happen. Forget the goal of wearing size 8 jeans that will make Angelina Jolie weep with envy. We’re talking about easy tasks. Decide to drink 6 glasses of water a day. Decide to walk to the office 3 days a week. Decide to throw out the English Muffins that have been plaguing your diet efforts for the last 3 weeks.
In short, ditch the Resolutions, and make the smart choice: something easy that you can follow through on now. Positive changes aren’t supposed to be sacrifices. They’re supposed to be reaffirming and attainable.
Some easy ideas to be successful in your sloth in 2009 coming tomorrow.
This is part of the 5-part anti-Resolution resolve: No Resolutions, Get Smart, Less is More, Baby Steps, Tom Petty Wisdom
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