Another New Year
It's the start of another new year. 2013 is here, and we find ourselves looking back at 2012 to review our accomplishments...or lack thereof. Did you follow through with your resolutions? Did you even bother?
I'm not keen on resolutions. A recent facebook posting from a running company helps sum up why: "Too many people worry about what they eat during the holidays when they should be worried about what they eat the rest of the year." Too often we get caught up in the tradition of making resolutions, when in actuality we should be considering goals and benchmarks throughout the year.
This goes back to my previous blog post about having a back up plan. Don't put all of your eggs in one basket! If you start off 2013 with the goal of running a marathon, but you've never slipped on a pair of sneakers, you might want to consider a safer and more gradual approach. And set a timeline. Meeting benchmarks helps keep your confidence up and makes the overall plan less daunting. Perhaps running a 5k by March, 10k by May, half marathon in late summer, etc. This goes for weight-loss, too. So you say you want to lose 20 pounds in 2013? Drop 2 pounds in each of the winter months, 3 in springtime months as the weather warms and you become more active, etc.
With a full year looming ahead, goals seem very doable. After all, you've got a full 12 months. If you are serious about making a change, map out everything that you need to do (and NOT do) to get you to the finish line.
The moral of the story is this: think long term and think year-round benchmarks. Keep yourself accountable by keeping with a plan and sticking to your timeline. With the right approach, you can do anything in 2013...and beyond!
Happy New Year, everyone!
