This happens to me every single year. I write a list of a bunch of resolutions that require me to only do more of what I love (and what I’m already doing), and I avoid making any promises that take me out of my regular routine.
After all, why force myself to do anything that I don’t want to?
Because it’s good for me – that’s why!
I’m a huge fan of practicing what I preach (that’s good for me, too), so I’ve been following the same three pieces of advice that I gave you just a few short weeks ago in this blog: 3 Tips for Keeping Your Resolutions.
– I wasn’t afraid to make resolutions.
– I spend time every day quietly reminding myself of my goals.
– I told as many people as I could about my big plans.
All would be wonderful if I actually made big plans about the stuff that’s really been nagging at me… the stuff I know I need to change, but that get buried by excuses about not having enough time or how they don’t really make that big of a difference in my life.
You’ve probably heard the saying, “If it’s important to you, you’ll find a way. If it’s not, you’ll find an excuse.” Well, somehow I turned the meaning of those wise words into permission to avoid making commitments about all the stuff I deemed unimportant. Because if I don’t want to do something, it can’t be that important, right?
Wrong!
The truth is that those nagging feelings about all the things I’m not doing come from a deep desire to make my life better, so they are important. And I should be doing my best to follow-through with the promises I’ve made to myself, because I’m important.
It’s time for me to get out of the habit of ignoring what I know – deep down – to be important and get back into the habit of taking action to make my life better in all areas.
I’m positive that I can succeed just by creating new (tiny) habits surrounding my goals, because it’s all about the tiny steps when you’re trying to achieve long-lasting change.
I’m making a commitment right now to be active, but in ways that benefit all the parts of me – mind, body, and spirit. You may want to try out a couple of my ideas for yourself…
MIND: I’ve been out of school for a while, and I can tell that I’m not as sharp as I used to be when it comes to academic tasks. Brain power is like muscle – if you don’t use it, you lose it. So I’m committing to be active in growing my knowledge bank. Every month, I’ll read one book or sign up for a new class. There are a ton of things I’ve been wanting to learn how to do from knitting to oil painting, so it should be easy to keep this habit going. I’m already signed up for my doula certification next month, so I’ll be doing some fun reading in preparation this month.
BODY: Since Baby #5 arrived four months ago, I’ve been super active when it comes to talking about working out, but not so much with the actual working out. So I made a deal with myself. I have to run a mile before every single shower. It only takes 10 minutes, and then I’m done. I’m counting on the momentum (and happy hormones) created by these mini-runs inspiring longer workouts and a fitter, happier body. And running can be a lot like meditation, so I can kill two birds with one stone!
SPIRIT: I’m already great at spending time in conversation with myself. Not only do I meditate daily, but I also take time to re-center several times a day with deep breathing or other calming practices. The one thing that we all need, but rarely get to engage in, is actual one-on-one conversation with people we like. Connecting online is a great way to keep in touch with a lot of people at once, and texting is convenient when we’re constantly on the go, but how often do any of us put aside time for a good phone conversation or meet a friend face-to-face for a cup of coffee? I’m committing to be active for my spirit by picking up the phone at least once a week to call someone I haven’t talked to in a while and by scheduling at least one in-person “date” every month with a good friend.
Making big changes never has to be hard. There are tons of small, easy, and meaningful ways to add more value to every area of your life. Have you made tiny changes that led to big results? Or do you have big plans for your future that you want to commit to right now?
Let me know in the comments below!
My commitment to be active for my mind, body, and spirit was inspired by the #BeActiv with Viactiv® campaign. For Viactiv, to #BeActiv means getting involved, getting moving and getting healthier, including making sure you’re getting the recommended amount of daily calcium for bone health based on your age (70% of adult women are calcium deficient; that number jumps to around 85% for teen girls!).
While calcium from food sources is important, Viactiv comes in delicious tasting soft chews (in milk chocolate, caramel and sugar-free milk chocolate varieties – it’s the #1 doctor-recommended calcium supplement chew), as well as new gummies (tropical fruit) to make it easy and appealing to make sure you (and your daughter, sister, mother) are getting enough daily calcium.
Viactiv is hosting an exciting sweepstakes that you can enter just by showing them how YOU plan to be active this year. You’ll have a chance to win one of 28 prizes, including a $1,000 grand prize, two $500 prizes, and 25 FitBit® Flex Wireless Activity Bands. Click here to enter through 2/27/2015. See official rule for details. Open to US residents only.
Good luck and stay blissed in! xx
DISCLAIMER: This post/video is designed for educational and/or informational purposes only and should not be used in any other manner. This information is not intended to substitute informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider. A consultation with your health care professional is the proper method to address your health concerns. You are encouraged to consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your condition.
You can find Viactiv in stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens and Walmart. For more information about Viactiv and to learn more about keeping bones strong, visit http://www.Viactiv.com #BeActiv
This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Viactiv . The opinions and text are all mine.