Having fun with New Years Resolutions

Did you ever think to yourself...why bother with New Year resolutions, within a month they are all forgotten about anyway?

It feels like an obligation to make a resolution(s). You know sooner or later someone is going to ask what your resolutions are? However, lets be realistic, the studies produce the same old results...few succeed! So why bother?

You guessed it, Eduardo to the rescue. After giving this great and careful consideration as to why we fail so often and deliberting on it for at least, 60 seconds, I reached a conclusion.

Our resolutions tend to be boring

We get all serious about things like; losing weight, getting fit, making more money, and finding or improving our relationships etc. The mere thought of what might be involved to be successful defeats us before we start. In other words, our expectations exceed our committment. So what's a girl to do?

Glad you asked. The Truthteller way is to increase the odds of success by making only fun resolutions. Instead of saying, I intend to lose 30 pounds, why not say...I'm going to take my sweetie for a 30 minute walk, 5 times a week. (If your sweetie ain't so sweet, take the dog).

Instead of concentrating on losing weight by denying yourself the good stuff, how about forming a supper club with friends where every meal must be delicious, healthy and non fattening. Now you can socialize, have fun, swap recipies, drink a little (low calorie) wine and eat great meals. Granted this only covers one meal. However, you will have done something positive and your resolution is fun and easy to meet.

I've decided to make a resolution to take an extra week's holiday in the winter. As a matter of fact, I plan to make this resolution every year, until I'm gone for the whole period that snow is on the ground. Now that's a fun resolution that I'm prepared to work for. I'll let you know how that works for me.

Another way to make resolutions more fun is give yourself rewards. The most important part of any resolution is getting started so give yourself rewards early and often. Imagine that your significant other, is on your case, because over the years, you've gotten a little porky. Why not make a deal with them. You tell them, ok, I'll lose 30 lbs and for every pound I lose, you give me a 30 minute massage. 30 lbs = 30 massages. (I'd put on 30 lbs just to get that kind of deal).

Give it away

It's fun to give stuff away and what a great resolution to make. Some suggestions; smiles, compliments, a helping hand and that awful Christmas gift that you can't believe anyone in their right mind would give you.

Get more fresh air

The healthiest suggestion has to be to get yourself outside every day. Play games, drag the cat around the neighborhood, get some Vitamin D (sunshine). Excellent for your mental health and you can even peek in a few windows if that's your thing.

Learn something new

There's the usual stuff like a new language, photography, painting (no not the house that's no fun), writing and mastering technology. Then there's cool stuff like; telling jokes that are actually funny, magic, juggling and bar tricks.

Have an adventure

Maybe it's time to take your mother in laws advice and go jump out of a plane. How about white water rafting or para sailing. Maybe something tamer like a trip to a foreign country (come to Canada it's really cool especially in the winter).

My final thought is to make resolutions specific. If you say, I'm going to get fit, what does that mean? How will we know when we've succeeded? You would be better off to say, my resolution is to be able to run around the block 10 times without stopping for an ice cream break once. Now, that's measureable.

Life and resolutions should be fun and easy!

Eduardo