When it comes to the New Year, losing weight, being less stressed, trying something new and saving money seem to stay at the top of the things most people want to accomplish.
But those also tend to be the things that we give up on after a month or so. As the year goes on and life throws more at us, we tend to lose sight of the things that we really want to do. We fall back in tune with the rest of society -- procrastinating, complaining about how we have no free time and eventually completely overlooking our goals.
So I would like to propose an idea -- why wait?
Why wait until the New Year rolls around to start exercising? Or to start saving money? Or to set time aside to do things we enjoy rather than letting work or school consume our schedules?
Instead of planning a strict exercise routine that consists of intense cardio and strength training seven days a week, plan out a more reasonable workout schedule that fits your already busy enough schedule, but will still make a difference. And instead of starting hot and heavy on the first day of the New Year, start today. Start small and build up your workout. Allow your mind and body to get used to such an important lifestyle change and you will be less likely to end your exercising routine before it really even gets started.
Rather than leaving the stress to Jan. 1, start now. Organize your busy days. Maybe buy a planner for the first time. Exercise helps reduce stress -- try relaxing by working out. Starting this process of learning to organize your life -- including down time -- during the holiday season will prove to be effective as life goes back to normal during the first of the year.
Along with organizing your days, plan times to try new things. Whether it is something as simple as driving the long way home to enjoy different scenery or something extreme like bungee jumping or skydiving for the first time, don't wait until Jan. 1 to try new things. Someone once told me to never order just vanilla ice cream, but to always try different flavors to keep life interesting in the smallest of ways. The same principle applies when it comes to trying new things. By making yourself get out of your comfort zone, you will not only learn more about the world around you, but you will learn new things about yourself. When you learn to love new things, you will gain confidence to carry out different goals in your life that you would have given up on before. This process is too important to wait until the New Year.
Also consider taking economic steps to avoid a rude awakening in January. Set back money now and make a budget strictly for the holiday season. While money can't buy happiness, it is a tool that buys opportunities. If it is handled wisely, it can make New Year's that much better. Again, this process should begin well before the holidays, not just on New Year's Day.
No matter what your goals are, your fresh start is today. Instead of procrastinating our goals until the first of 2015, let's make changes now.
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