A How-To Guide On New Year's Resolutions.

2014.  It's almost officially a new year!

At the beginning of 2014, most of us will take it upon ourselves to establish fitness and health goals or resolutions.  It is the most appropriate and common time to establish these.  Well, sort of. We are in fact creatures of habit and either routinely quit or stall on these things.

But what if you could be given a guide or helped on how to build reasonable, simple New Year's goals or resolutions and instructed on how to follow through to succeed at them?

In January, about one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way; however, a very small percentage of them actually follow through. The New Year begins and among those that develop and implement plans for resolutions about 75% of them adhere towards their resolution(s) for at least one week.  But less than half (46%) of them six months later are still on track.  So, many Americans are making fewer resolutions, if any, because they are not likely to stick to them.  That seems reasonable. But it seems like a cop-out too.  It is in fact the act of goal setting and the grind of hard work that makes fulfilling them more beneficial, rewarding and unforgettable.  The epic and monumental things we achieve and honor most in our lives is not merely the feat or goal but its the hilly path and long-winding road we take to get there ..... crunch after crunch, lunge after lunge, squat after squat.

"I guess I just woke up this morning and decided..
I didn't want to be chicken anymore"

  

The definition of a goal is an act of determining upon an action, method or procedure, etc. with a firmness of purpose to resolve. The 'Out There' illustration pokes fun and has the chicken exercising saying to the other how he/she plans to make ado about not being a chicken and something else. A resolution is also a “make firm to do something” kind of thing.  When you discontinue a resolution you may no longer be determined to do it or possibly unable to revise action plans. Though there may be other financial or personal reasons too. Ultimately, resolutions are active, decisive thoughts that have many difficulties and roads to overcome and as a result you will need to change your action plans and form constant reminders in order to reach them over time.

So, what will be your fitness or health goals this year?  Will you have a plan to adhere to and complete them?  Will you know of any difficulty or obstacles to following through?  It’s a great time to do it now. If you can't think of any here are the most popular resolutions: 1) Be with family more often; 2) Improve fitness; 3) Increase joy in life; 4) Lose body fat% or fat weight; and 5) Quit smoking. There's also do a Cross Fit Competition, run an Ultra-marathon and try Zumba.  So, what are yours?

The following exercise should be performed for each goal or resolution.  1) Develop a primary goal or resolution and 2) Divide it into a few mini-goals with respected plans of actions. 3) Identify any obstacles or roadblocks.  4) Set a deadline.  And 5) Set up constant reminders.    

   GOAL #1.

     RESOLUTION: __________________________________________________________

     MINI-GOAL #1: __________________________________________________________

     MINI-GOAL #2: __________________________________________________________

     MINI-GOAL #3: __________________________________________________________

     PLANS OF ACTIONS: ____________________________________________________

     ________________________________________________________________________

     OBSTACLE(S): __________________________________________________________

     COMPLETION DATE: _____________________________________________________

     CONSTANT REMINDER(S): ________________________________________________

Fitness and health goals or resolutions are personable decisions with respective plans. They are great ideas in many ways.  They inspire us or motivate us to accomplish or be better at something - financially, physically, socially or spiritually.  So why are fewer of us making resolutions (~40%) and more importantly, why are we not meeting those resolutions each year?  Promises are promises.  And they should not be broken in any way.  That destroys our body, emotions, mind and soul.  So instead of deciding on the same old promises and doing the same old things you should consider the following "five" to have a cosmetic-like face lift on making more practical or simple fitness and health goals or resolutions. 

   THE COSMETIC-LIKE FACE LIFT "FIVE" : 

     #1: Make goals with action plans you know you will keep!

     #2: Make goals into mini-ones and complete them one at a time.

     #3: Make goals so each one can be completed within six months.

     #4: Make goals with a clear reminders knowing what it will completely take.

     #5: Recreate action plans throughout the year, but ultimately Think - “Why not?”

It’s obvious we want to change our ways.  But in order to change ourselves or something you must leave a little bit of yourself or something behind in the past.  It’s paying the price! but “that” is simply thought of as getting rid of something to gain something.  Regards to exercise, health or wellness, it’s more motivating and reasonable to move away from pain and towards pleasure and well-being.  But our bodies and brains consciously and unconsciously resist change for better or worse.  It’s following the path of least resistance.  So of the questions - “Do I know and really want to change something?” and “Is paying the price worth it?” - what can be done with the cosmetic-like face lift "five" rules to create new paths of NO resistance?  Decision-making.  Exercising.  REMINDERS.  Time.

It's only understandable we can only process or remember a certain number of things consciously versus subconsciously.  In fact, it has been proven scientifically you can only process or think of approximately seven to nine things at the conscious level.  Therefore we must develop reminders to spend the best amount of our energy, motivation and time on them so we can complete them within a reasonable amount of time.  And without a doubt the best means to developing reminders is via listening to at looking at them.  Hear No Evil, See No Evil.  Well, in this case - Hear What Am, See What Want.

     #1) Each morning listen to a voice recording about your goals, and life visions.  

Click HERE to Know How to Properly Make a Vision Board.

     #2) Every day and often look at a properly constructed and placed vision board.  


The voice recording and vision board are as important as goal setting in regards to developing and fulfilling goals or resolutions.  These can provide us with constant reminders.  And though these have become more popular in recent years due to the celebrity marketing and expansions in technology, they are underused.  For #1) it's essential to listen each morning to a voice recording of your resolutions. You can make a voice recording and listen on a computer desktop or mobile device.  It's best to do this while meditating in quietness so you can feel the energy and passion, and see a plan of action or visualize the words.  With #2) it's imperative to cut out or make personal notes or pictures of things that are inspirational or motivational and relate to your resolutions and post them on a poster board or onto a wall.  You can also use an app on your computer desktop, mobile device or phone to copy and paste notes or pictures.  And daily, you will want to glance at your vision board, and similarly with the voice recording, ponder in quietness so you can feel the energy and passion, and see a plan of action.  Think, I will have these fruit (goals/visions) by planting and harvesting these seeds (plans of actions) over this period of time.        

It's paramount to remember that every goal or resolution has emotional and physical responses and together they respectively yield a happy or unhappy outcome.  Remain true to and think positive of yourself.  The only negative outcome comes from one that has no try or is not from within.

Inspiration comes from outside things.  Motivation happens from within - Within You!

Don't Stop No Matter How Far or Hard It Is.  It's In You.

The main thing about any New Year's goal or resolution is you should clearly state the benefits and how it will be played out and received over time.  It’s a desired outcome or situation. Otherwise you would not have thought of it. And it is not a clear goal to say “I want to lose body weight.”  Though you may be dissatisfied with your body figure or weight and want to improve your look or lower your health risks. It's just not visionary.  It’s visionary when you completely comprehend how and know why you want to achieve a resolution that will make you stay motivated and willing to pay the price - “It's every penny worth it!”  If you believe in yourself and know how to develop and follow through on a resolution and understand why its important then you can earnestly and virtually be motivated and proud and more likely see a successful outcome!  And you will find that there is no "STOP" in you.  You also must not forget to use voice recording and vision boards year round!!!    

2013. Half Way There. How's Your Resolutions?

2013 ..... Armed and On Track or Need a Reboot? 

2013.  It’s official.  We are at or near the half point of the year.

At the beginning of January 2013, most of us took it upon ourselves to establish fitness and health goals and resolutions for the year.  It was the most appropriate and common time to establish those fitness and health goals and resolutions.  Well, sort of.  We are in fact masters of stalling.

In January, about one in three Americans resolve to better themselves in some way; however, a very small percentage of them actually follow through on those resolutions. The New Year begins and among Americans that develop and implement plans for resolutions about 75% of them adhere towards their goal(s) for at least one week.  But less than half (46%) of them six months later are still on track.  So, many Americans are making fewer New Year’s resolutions, if any, because they are not likely to stick to them.  That seems reasonable.  But it’s the act of goal setting and and grind of hard work that makes fulfilling resolutions the more awesome, beneficial, rewarding and unforgettable.  The epic and monumental things we achieve and honor most in our lives is not merely the feat or goal but its the hilly path and long-winding road we take to get there ..... lunge after lunge and step by step.

"I guess I just woke up this morning and decided..
I didn't want to be chicken anymore"

In June or July, at this point, how are your fitness and health goals and resolutions?  Have you achieved some, if not all of them?  If so, were you able to develop new ones?  Or have you achieved none of them?  If so, were you able to make new plans of actions or reevaluate goals and resolutions?  It does not matter if you have not been able to achieve all, any or some of them, but it is extremely important to continue to remember any current, former or new goals and resolutions and think of creative and practical ways to “make each one happen” now or up to the rest of the year.   

The definition of a resolution is an act of determining upon an action, method or procedure, etc. with a firmness of purpose to resolve.  The 'Out There' illustration pokes fun and has the chicken exercising saying to the other how he/she plans to make ado about not being a chicken and something else. A resolution is also a “make firm to do something” kind of thing for someone or more likely yourself.  When a person discontinues a resolution he or she no longer is determined or has the firmness to reap the rewards or recreate a new action plan.  Though there may be other financial or personal reasons too.  Yes, that is completely understandable.  Yet, resolutions are active, decisive thoughts that have many difficulties and roads that will have to be reached over time.  It's up to you!

So, did you make any fitness or health resolutions this year?  Do you currently adhere to or follow a plan to adhere to and complete them?  Or are you having difficulty coming up with ideas for goals or resolutions or putting together action plans?  It’s never too late to fix or start them by any means.  And you are not alone by any means as well.  The majority of goals and resolutions do in fact pertain to health, lifestyle and wellness.  For example, people may plan to change eating habits, increase muscle tone or lose body weight, omit smoking, lower stress, run an ultra-marathon or start Yoga or Zumba.  The most common or popular resolutions: 1) Be with family more often; 2) Improve fitness; 3) Increase joy in life; 4) Lose body fat% or fat weight; and 5) Quit smoking.  What are yours?

1. _________________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________________

4. _________________________________________________________________

5. _________________________________________________________________

Fitness and health goals and resolutions are personable decisions with respective plans. They are great ideas in many ways.  So why are fewer of us making resolutions (~40%) and more importantly, why are we not meeting those resolutions each year?  Promises are promises.  Yes. They should not be broken in any way.  Yup.  So instead of deciding on the same old promises and doing the same old things we should aim to have a cosmetic-like face lift on making more practical or simple fitness or health goals and resolutions.  

#1: Make goals and resolutions you know you will keep!

#2: Make goals and resolutions and only complete them one at a time.

#3: Make goals and resolutions so each one can be completed within six months.

#4: Make goals and resolutions with a clear vision knowing what it will completely take.

#5: Think- “Why not?”

It’s obvious we want to change our ways.  But in order to change ourselves or something we must leave a little bit of ourselves or something behind in the past.  It’s paying the price! but “that” is simply thought of as getting rid of something to gain something.  Regards to exercise, health or wellness, it’s more motivating and reasonable to move away from pain and towards pleasure and well-being.  But our bodies and brains consciously and unconsciously resist change for better or worse.  It’s following the path of least resistance.  So of the questions “Do I know and really want to change something?” and “Is paying the price worth it?” - what can be done with the cosmetic-like face lift rules to create new paths of NO resistance?  Decision-making.  Exercising.  Time.

It's paramount to remember that every event has an emotional or physical response and together they respectively yield a happy or unhappy outcome.

Don't Stop No Mater How Far or High, It's In You.

The main thing is all or any fitness or health goals or resolutions should be clear goals or visions that state the benefits and how they will be played out and received over a period of time.  It’s a desired outcome or situation.  It is not a clear goal to  say “I want to lose body weight.”  Though you may be completely dissatisfied with your body figure or weight and want to improve your look or lower your health risks, its not visionary.   It’s visionary when you completely comprehend how and know why you want to achieve a resolution that will make you stay motivated and willing to pay the price- “Its every penny worth it!”  If you believe in yourself and know how to develop and follow through on a goal or resolution and understand why its important then you can earnestly and virtually guarantee success!  And that can be in July, August, November or December.  Any time!

Be Fit.  @Phytly.

Jeffrey Kazmucha