New Year, New You?  Really?

     The first television commercial I saw the morning after Christmas was for weight loss.  Yep.  It’s THAT time of year again!  Do you find yourself back in the same old spot—it’s January, and you are (once again) vowing that THIS YEAR you will get in shape?  Would you like to get off of that merry go round—making resolutions to “be good” this year, to eat right, and to exercise?
     For many of my clients these resolutions each year come from a place of dissatisfaction with their health, the image they see in the holiday photographs, or the need to purchase a larger size of clothing.  This discontent fuels the desire for immediate change, which makes the promise of immediate results very alluring.  This desire for immediate results allows us to pursue paths that we are not really willing to sustain (think of the crazy diets and exercise regimens you have used in the past to achieve quick results, and discarded).  While dissatisfaction may get you off the sofa and started (yeah, you!), for long term success you need stronger stuff.  I recommend you begin with gratitude. 

     Hang with me here…I know you are probably reading this because you are anything but grateful for the current state of things.  Please understand that by “gratitude” I DO NOT mean complacency or anything less than striving for everything you want! 

     Think about it this way:  When you have a brand new car you probably take fantastic care of it; parking away from other cars to prevent dings, washing regularly, scheduled maintenance.  Now fast forward a few years to when the luster has worn off…the carpet is a bit dirty, not enough time for washing, stretching out the oil changes and other maintenance.  And as we continue these behaviors, the car looks even more…dingy…which increases our discontent and desire for a new car.  But what if this is the only car we will ever have?  What if we realize that some folks don’t even have cars?  And out of that gratitude we begin to take better care of our car.  We wash it and wax it and clean the seats and carpet.  We schedule needed maintenance and change the tires.  As we practice these new behaviors we notice that our “dingy” car is shiny, updated and reliable.  We don’t really need a new car at all—we have a classic here!

     Most of us begin our journey (again) by looking at what we want to change…instead, let’s focus on what you want.

When you focus on what you want (the positive aspects), instead of what you don’t want (the negative aspects), you will be able to focus on successes toward your goal—which will fuel further forward momentum and an “I think I can” mentality.  As Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t—you’re right.”

     How to begin fostering a sense of gratitude for your body, given the fact that you are feeling frustration right now?  Each time you have a negative thought about your body, counter with at least 1 positive attribute.  As you begin to mindfully notice your strengths instead of your weaknesses, you will develop a sense of pride and respect for all that your body does for you each day. 
 

Whereas deprivation and denial for quick results will be discarded, gratitude will inspire you to strive to protect, cherish and strengthen your body—which in turn, will lead to healthier choices each day and long term success.