For anyone under the age of 50, getting a little too drunk on New Year’s Eve is acceptable and maybe even a little bit expected. However, once the hangover wears away on January 1st, it is typically time to start those New Year’s resolutions.
Most resolution stories talk about how to keep them.
That makes perfect sense because that’s the ultimate goal. However, one common thing that most of these blog posts and articles leave out is the part about the missteps and mistakes that come with a resolution and why it actually helps.It turns out that timing is one huge factor in regards to the success of a resolution. It’s hard to just radically change your entire life and lifestyle just because it’s January 1st. Major life changes take time, but the New Year can be a great catalyst. That’s why failing is such an important part of a New Year’s resolution.
For the sake of brevity, let’s say your New Year’s resolution is to lose weight. It takes a lot of planning to complete a resolution. When all that’s done, it is time to put it into action. After a month of solid improvement, there is a slight lapse and then it turns into a three week fitness break.
That’s not a bad thing. The body is resilient. Studies show that the body “works out” even after the exercise has stopped. While that particular case only covers one day, the body doesn’t forget. In fact, it takes anywhere from two to six weeks to lose muscle. So what you consider “failing” has had literally no effect on your progress!
But while you were not actively working toward your objectives (what is considered failing), you can learn more about why you want to achieve a resolution. You can start to assess the situation and see if it really is the right time to change your life. If not, it’s always worth knowing it’s completely possible. Having a serious goal is just as good in August as it is in January.
Feature Photo via We Heart It