Rethink the Resolution
Hi Loving Lately readers!!I I start off this post with just so much love for you for taking the time to read our words. We are just so grateful for you.
OK so we’re a few weeks into the year…and I want to talk about resolutions. This post is as much for me as it is for you, because I want to rethink the concept of resolutions and I hope you’ll join me in doing so.
This is the time of year that many of us choose to make resolutions, goals, dreams for the year and you know here at Loving Lately we LOVE personal growth and that is essentially all we write about. BUT…I think the culture around resolutions kind of stinks to be honest. Lose weight, spend less, get a promotion..these are some of the most common resolutions. And those are admirable ones, don’t get me wrong, but I think we can have a much better 2019 if we take a second to reframe them.
Just to get vulnerable here, one of my resolutions this year is to continue to lose weight and gain back strength. I gained about 40lb in 3 months during chemotherapy, largely due to very high doses of steroids, which also significantly reduce muscle mass, so this period in my life was a one-two punch when it came to my body. But just to take this goal as an example, if my resolution was simply to “lose weight” I’m not sure I would be all that successful. Or maybe if I was harsh and critical of myself, I could lose weight but it wouldn’t be sustainable and it actually might sacrifice my health.
I want us all to take that goal or resolution of ours a couple steps further with some questions. The first question I want you to ask yourself (and that I’m asking myself!) is how can I have the most FUN while achieving this goal?
YUP you heard me right! How can I have FUN losing weight, saving money, getting a promotion?? etc. etc.
A couple points from some of my favorite teachers. Gabby Bernstein, a NYT bestselling author, says “The Universe works fast when you’re having fun”. Sometimes manifesting our dream life can seem like a slog but Gabby reminds us that having fun is not in spite of reach our goals, fun is HOW we get there!! We’ve been taught that goal setting and growth has to be push as hard as possible and that if you’re not miserable you’re not trying hard enough. I totally disagree. I also love Jessica Ortner, another NYT bestselling author, who writes “If it’s not pleasurable, it’s not sustainable.”
Not only will having fun make manifesting your resolutions faster, but it will be more sustainable in the long run. For me with losing weight and gaining strength, this centers around my love for Pure Barre, and my (new) love for cooking and trying new foods. I learned a lot about cooking when I was home from chemotherapy and now I absolutely love trying new recipes, especially those with a healthy twist! Gina Homolka of Skinnytaste is my favorite food blogger : ) Nothing brings me more excitement these days than picking out a new healthy recipe I know me and my hubby will love!
Pure Barre brings me energy, a positive attitude, and a much stronger body. And it has given me amazing friendships and support whenever I’ve needed it. And cooking and exploring new healthy foods is FUN and I love to cook for my husband or my friends, it brings me so much joy and happiness. These are two ways I’m infusing fun into one of my resolutions this year.
The next question I want you to ask yourself is: how can I choose to live the bigger life? This one comes from yet ANOTHER NYT bestselling author Gretchen Rubin. She coined this question and I think it is so essential. What about your resolution will enable to you live a bigger life?
For me, losing weight and getting stronger allows my body to work optimally so that I can live a full life, doing what I want to do. After finishing chemo, I couldn’t walk for 10 minutes without sitting down. Just doing the stairs in my townhouse was too much for me. Now, with my strength from barre and eating healthy foods, I’m lightyears more active than I was at that point in my life. Eating healthy foods helps me to feel amazing (and avoids stomach aches, headaches, low energy), so when I do it consistently I have more time to do what I love and less time feeling crummy.
THIS is my bigger life! And I choose to remind myself of this whenever I get off track. Instead of beating myself up, I remember what I’m doing all of this for. And if I do get critical with myself, that’s OK too. It happens. But it’s all about the rebound!!
Even if we’re all blessed to live to be 100, it is still a short life. I want each and every one of us to spend it having fun and choosing the bigger life.
I can’t wait to hear what you’ll do with 2019. Love you guys!
XOXO,
Allison
