Things hinge on one another!
It amazes me how one change may effect another like domino’s falling into alignment. We make plans that hinge on something already in place.Perhaps we sell our house contingent on another one being made available. Life is funny like that regarding jobs, kids schooling, or health issues. One thing sets the pace or need for another.
Turning resolutions into reality are much the same. I often suggest to my patients to set resolutions for the New Year into a few divisions. Working on one thing at a time is more likely to be carried through.
We will be more successful if we can be specific in stating our goals with each resolution. One season may make it easier to lose weight, another easier to work on the house projects, etc. Each goal then becomes more attainable and we find the feelings of success gratifying.
Break up the year into comfortable zones. For me there are the first few months of the year to navigate through. It is cold and the weather makes me lazy, so I try to catch up on reading, get the tax papers ready, and think about house projects. These I can do inside and on dark, long evenings.
House projects get done now too. This year we are redoing floors in our bedrooms. I will not be actually doing the work, but I will be searching out the contractor, paying the bills, and preparing the rooms to be emptied. Last year I focused on kitchen updates. As the season passes, I will increase my use of the treadmill so walking is easier in springtime.
Next is a “combo Spring and Summer” period when it is easier to focus on outdoor projects. These include cleaning out the flower beds, walking to work, and painting outdoor lawn ornaments, birdhouses, and furniture updates. It may include tree trimming or new plantings. And of course, it includes emptying the garage and changing the tire on the wheel barrel.
By focusing on one area at a time, things become more doable. It is easier to complete each project and easier to maintain each one as well. That goes along for painting rooms, washing outdoor furniture, cleaning out the attic, or weeding flower beds. For me, if I am forced to clean out a closet for painting, things are moved into bags for sorting and donating. stretch
With the longer days, the weather warms up. We may be unlike the kids who walk on ledges, balance on railroad ties, or start climbing trees with ease, but we can stretch and take on more activity. Jackets become lighter. We don hats to keep the sun from our eyes
It is easier to lose weight first by cutting back on food amounts. Then one can add in exercise; especially in the nicer weather. One thing hinges on the success and maintenance of another.
By creating an action plan, changing habits begin to work on our behalf. We use the stairs in place of the elevator. We walk the extra 10 car spaces at the grocery store to add in a little more movement. We walk back with the grocery cart all the way back to the store to get in a tad more exercise.
Now, you have the Fall and New School Year to set the third division of the year. It is a natural division. If you are a parent or grandparent, kids are getting ready to return to school. If you travel, it is a great time to go somewhere. If you feel better in the Fall after a tough allergy season, it is a relaxing time to walk, to rake leaves, or think of filling with freezer with veggies from the garden. Fall is a time to bring in the yard decorations. It may mean painting the furniture so it is ready for spring.
A Frame
Our swing this past fall looks like an “A” and that is the grade you deserve for keeping on target. Congratulations!
Perhaps it is getting out the Christmas decorations to the front of the storage area so it is easy to pull out in a few months and pushing back the things you won’t need for another 6-8 months. Little changes that make the next season easier helps keep our energy in check and our minds clear.
You’ve come along way in making the year count and all without one big list of New Year’s Resolutions. And the best part is that you can start at any point to define your beginning. Every day is a new opportunity to start a new venue. Your goals have developed into worthwhile accomplishments.