Thousands of people, heck millions of people have made "New Years Resolutions" to go back to the gym, start running, start a new diet, or plan to quit drinking (drugs, vape, etc.). The gyms are packed and the addiction centers are full. By March only the ones who truly had resolve will continue with their intended goals.
Why do so many fail when they had such good intentions? Why do some people stick to their goals and others fade away?
Change is hard. We resist it and often settle for things that are easy even though we know it's not good for us. Look at the food we eat, exercise, and finances. These are the top three goals for change made in New Year's Resolutions:
Food:
Processed food (boxed) and Fast Food are full of salt, sugar, and chemicals. We eat it because we can pick it up while we're driving home from work. No fuss, no thought is involved, and we don't have to start the job of meal preparation when we've just finished working all day.
Exercise:
Obesity kills. Many times it takes an illness to get us up off the couch, away from Binge Watching our favorite new show, scanning the internet, or chatting on social media. By the time we're 20-60 pounds overweight, it's very hard to get lethargic muscles to work property. So it hurts, we complain, we "try" and it's too easy to quit.
Finances:
Credit Card debt and School loans are a huge problem in America. People are not prepared for an "emergency" and use their credit cards to rescue them from unexpected expenses. The problem is everything becomes an emergency: The baby shower you were invited to, the Black Friday sales that enticed you, dinner with a friend you haven't seen in forever; all can add dollars to your debt that just seems to go up up up.
The solution? You must start by seeing change as a positive thing. If you attempt to change when things are bad, (bill collector, cancer, or diabetes) it's easy to fall into despair and hopelessness. But if you look at change as something positive and attractive it's easier, not easy, easier.
"Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:2
Last year when I faced so many challenges I sought out people to help me change. I changed my diet, hired a personal trainer, and set up a automatic pay down system for my debt. I also found several business and spiritual mentors and support groups where I could go and learn more about common practices so I could be healthy in all areas of life. The man in the photo is Jeff Abbott and he is a Business Coach and entrepreneur for The Barnabas Group Inland Empire. Jeff leads a quarterly Executive Director Forum for Mission Increase and I am like a dry sponge soaking up the knowledge he gives us.
Change in 2019 was not easy, in fact it nearly killed me. Through making a few changes (quite a few really), I came out of it healthier in mind, body, and spirit. It took being mindful EVERY DAY of the changes I needed to make. I created weekly and daily goals and attempted to complete 3 goals every day. If I only accomplished 2, the 3rd went onto the next day's goal sheet. By Saturday I had completed all my goals for the week. By the end of December, I had accomplished nearly every goal I had set for 2019 in my personal life and professionally.
So, this week don't just wish for change, make change happen. Set goals, write them down, and do them with mindful purpose.
Day 6 of 365: Mindful