I checked my email first thing this morning and I was hit with a load of reminders:
- If I want to achieve that body, I need to join XYZ gym.
- If I want to avoid late fees, I need to send payment by XYZ date.
- If I want that designer jean, I need to buy now.
Reminders help keep our eyes on the prize.
Chances are, you’ve made resolutions for the New Year. Chances are, you are also firm about the commitments you’ve made for yourself. Change is good. It moves you forward. But, no matter how many times you’re reminded to take action of something, life somehow gets in the way. Because when you have too many other things to do, you end up forgetting all about what you set out to do.
I can relate to that. After years of broken resolutions, I decided to scale back my commitment list and focus on less rather than more. I will learn to sew. I will organize the closet. I will learn Italian. Even new research supports the argument that adding more obligations to your life will mean falling behind on existing ones. Here’s a time I focused on one goal for an entire year:
After I had my daughter, I realized how difficult it was to lose that last ten pounds of post-pregnancy weight. I even had a plan in mind on how to shed them. But, life got in the way.
Then I received news my god sister was getting married. Was fitting into that nice dress motivation enough to get me to finally shed that extra post-pregnancy weight? No. Actually, it was all about the deep desire to grow old healthy and disease-free and to have the energy and stamina to keep up with my daughter and to see her grow up. Starting with daily 4:30 AM brisk walks coupled with a sensible eating plan, I met and exceeded my weight loss goal three months after I started and kept it off ever since. No email reminders; just a goal for personal improvement and why I needed to do it.
This year, my resolution is to not sweat the small stuff. Let things go. Focus on the big picture. Stop worrying about trivial things. See the positive side of everything. Why should I not sweat the small stuff? Because doing so will hinder me from moving forward in many areas in life.
On New Year’s Eve, I took my family to enjoy the early evening fireworks at the Boston Common for First Night Boston. About two yards from where we stood, a young mother with three children under age ten was smoking a cigarette in full presence of her children. While I normally would have criticized her under my breath for setting such a bad example to her children, I made the decision to hold my tongue. It was a very happy occasion (new year’s eve). Her smoking wasn’t affecting anyone other than her family, and my family’s health wasn’t compromised. Stop worrying about trivial things. Maybe this mother normally did not smoke in front of her children; I would not know. For all I know, she appeared loving and was fully engaged with her kids. See the positive side of everything. Don’t sweat the small stuff.
A year from now, it would be interesting to see how well I did.
Personal Concierge Services From Good Neighbor Concierge
So, let it be different this year. Focus on less rather than more. And keep your eyes on the prize with the personal concierge services from Good Neighbor Concierge. To find out more, contact Good Neighbor Concierge at 617.209.9311.
Connect With Me!