Forget New Years! Make A New YOU Resolution!
Come January 2nd each year, talk of holiday plans, parties and presents begins to fade. In its place are discussions of resolutions for the new year. A new commitment to saving money, traveling more or a healthier lifestyle.
So here you are, well into the month of February, a point when resolutions have already been proclaimed. People are either experiencing the early stages of resolution success or have already given up on their intention for change. The time for making and keeping new resolutions has past.
Or so it seems.
When it comes to resolutions, forget the rules. Forget January. Forget New Years Resolutions. Focus on New YOU Resolutions, which can happen any month, at any time, however you see fit.
State Your Goals
It all starts with identifying what you want to achieve. It could be exercising four times a week. It could be increasing your strength. It could even be doing 10 push-ups in a row.
Whatever it is, make a mental commitment to it and then write it down in a place where you can see it everyday. Make it your mission.
Tell your friends and family about your goal. Saying it out loud to others will strengthen your accountability, giving you a greater likelihood of turning your resolution into a reality.
Press Start
If only starting a resolution was as easy as pushing a button, right? Imagine it is and just begin. Thinking about it too much may make you feel overwhelmed and lead you to potentially rethink your resolution.
Resolutions are intimidating, as they require you to change your habits, approach and priorities, putting you out of your comfort zone. Instead of taking all of that on, just break off a piece.
Let’s say your resolution is to attend four CKO Kickboxing classes each week. If you’re new to the world of fitness, ease into it with two to three classes, working your way up to four. Big resolutions seem more attainable when you break them down.
And when you feel comfortable, continue to challenge yourself. Now that you have four weekly workouts under your belt, find new mini resolutions. Maybe you want to increase the speed of your jabs, the strength of your hooks or the height of your front kicks. Remember, resolutions can be made at any time.
Setbacks May Happen
You’ve fallen short on your four weekly workouts. For the past two weeks a time-sensitive project had you working late and you only made it to the gym twice.
Family obligations, work, even the common cold pop up and can hinder our ability to reach our goals. Some of this just can’t be helped.
This is when you have to turn up the realism and recognize that setbacks can happen. This is life, after all. Our numerous responsibilities make our lives busy, complicated and at times, downright crazy.
Acknowledging this early on will better prepare you in dealing with them and remind you that you will be up and running again in no time.
Celebrate Small Wins
Small wins can seem teensy weensy, almost insignificant at times. However, those little nuggets are the cause of big success.
Acknowledge your achievements no matter how small they may seem. No big changes happen over night (eh hem, Rome.)
Every step you take in fulfilling your resolution has value and, combined, result in a giant leap. It’s not just a before and after. There is a during section as well.
The time and effort you put in each day is what allows you to you look back at your starting point and see how much you’ve grown.
When you do your first burpee, celebrate it. When you kept punching the bag even when your shoulders are about to give out, acknowledge it. These achievements are bigger than you realize.
Be Patient With Yourself
Change is hard. Hard to wrap your brain around, hard to begin and hard to maintain. Consider yourself lucky if you’re a CKO member because the renewed goals and focus that you’re after are already within your grasp. Your consistent CKO workouts, those hour-long sweat sessions, where no two are the same, are already changing you from the inside out. Push a little harder in an effort to challenge yourself each time you’re on the bag.
Make sure to acknowledge that you are human. That change takes time. All you need to do is keep your goals in mind and keep on going.
Remember Who This Is About
This is about you. The resolutions you choose to make can happen whenever you see fit. And the way you approach it, the journey you embark upon is yours and yours alone.
Sure, January resolution time has faded but, no need for any FOMO. You didn’t miss the boat. Rather the boat pulls up to harbor at your request.
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Article written by Kimberly Oley, CKO Contributing Author and CKO Member since 2015!
