We are already over a month into the New Year. How are your resolutions going that you made? Still maintaining your promises to yourself or to a loved one? Or have you forgotten about them already? Already missed a day or even a week at the gym? Ordered pizza instead of the salad?
It is okay if you have stumbled out of the gate when it comes to resolutions. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and begin again. There is no shame in beginning again for a second, third, or even a fourth time. The shame is when you give up altogether and stop trying.
Good for you, if you have begun your journey on strong footing and have stuck to your resolutions. You may have to look back at your successes in order to get through a rough patch in the future. Keep up the good work.
The key to maintaining resolutions is seeing them as merely goals to be achieved. The resolutions or goals, may be personal in nature. You set out to accomplish a task that takes effort and determination to accomplish. The level of effort and determination are in direct proportion to the task that you are wanting to accomplish. The bigger the task, the greater the effort and determination. The greater the effort and determination, the greater the reward.
I bet you didn’t see that one coming, did you? The greater the effort and determination, the greater the reward. All throughout your journey, you are going to have obstacles to overcome. You must conquer each obstacle in order to reach your reward, whatever it maybe: that bikini body, a lowered cholesterol level, that dream vacation, being debt free, finding a better job, or quitting a bad habit.
On my way to work every morning, there is this gentleman who transports himself in a wheelchair on the sidewalk. I do not know where he is coming from or where he is going. He has several obstacles along his path, several very busy intersections and a railroad track. I envision every morning written across his chest the word, DETERMINATION, because he has to be determined to meet and conquer all of those obstacles in order to reach his destination.
That man has in mind that no matter the obstacles, no matter the set-backs, he will reach his goal. Nobody else will do it for him. If he does not do it, nobody else will. You must look at your goals with the same determination. No matter the obstacles, no matter the set-backs, you will reach your goals. Take one step at a time and one day at a time. If you fail, get up, dust yourself off and try again. There is no shame in trying again. Remember, the shame only comes when you give up altogether and stop trying.