Shower Thoughts with Shelly

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Strive for effort, not for exhaustion“New year, new me.”

“Everything’s gonna change with this new year!”

“Best ever, a whole new world for a whole new year!”

Did you know that as much as 80 percent of people who set New Year’s resolutions, with unrealistic expectations being a fairly common reason for those failed resolutions? It’s not that we can’t make changes as much as that we set the bar entirely too high. Instead of throwing yourself into a total lifestyle reversal, start with small changes and try to stack them over time to achieve a larger goal.

You can also help yourself by writing down your goals, recognizing that you likely won’t see visible/noticeable results for months, and being aware of your abilities and limitations before you commit to strenuous or extreme changes.

There are questions you can ask to help yourself with the concept of a resolution, too. Why do you want to make a change in the first place? Is your goal measurable, and concrete? Do you have a plan / what is it? Who can you call on for support as you work on this goal? What can you do or how will you celebrate your victories?

Also remember that the beginning of a new year isn’t necessarily more important than any other day of the week… or a new week, or new month. Each and every day is a new day. They may all be like the ones before them, but they don’t have to be the same. Every morning that you wake up is an opportunity to change something. Even small things. Don’t think that a new year means you have to be a perfect new version of yourself.

Strive for progress over perfection. Strive for effort, not for exhaustion. Do better to become better, as opposed to burn yourself out before you even have a chance.

Anyone can have a goal. All of us, in time, will have an idea of a change we should make. Don’t ever hold yourself back because you’re afraid of what’s to come… and don’t ever throw yourself blindly forward thinking you can bum rush the winner’s circle.

I challenge you, instead of great lofty ideas and quick fixes… I challenge you to a different way of doing it. Take your time, use thoughtful effort, and go mindfully into the future. Smell the roses along the path to improvement while you step purposefully through the garden of progress. You’ve got this.