Every year starts out with so much hope, promise and great intentions but the problem is, is that the silly season doesn't end after Christmas. Oh no, it pretty much keeps going until the end of Summer at the very least. My whole life last year was a silly season. Was it fun? Hell yes! But by December it made me feel a little sick to realise that I still had not gotten my driver's licence and my evening routine consisted of a rack of ribs and a case of beers instead of meditation and 'clean eating' which was more than evident judging by my trusty jeans which were now best worn unzipped. Oh so glamorous.
So here I am again. Another year and a few weeks in and yes I will admit, I have not really made any concrete resolutions let alone stick to them. But as I say every year (except this year I really mean it) this year is different. This is THE year that things will change and I will build solid foundations to kickstart the life I have always envisioned for myself.
So what led me to this dramatic decision? Well I had a bit of an epiphany yesterday. After a tough Australia day and a few too many coronas I dragged myself to work the next day feeling very average. I had decided that I would begin my healthy eating but at around 10am all I wanted was some serious fast food. Yes definitely a nice greasy fix was the very thing I needed, I could always start tomorrow, right? What was the difference? Tomorrow I could really prepare myself properly and get the head start I needed. It was unrealistic to start today... Or was it? Hold up. I said I would start today so I was going to start today. Why put it off yet another day? I had been pigging out on crap for the last 27 days so why give myself the luxury of another day? No, it was time to get serious. Now or never! While I was feeling inspired and determined I made a list of all the foods I would include in my diet and spent the rest of the day turning down cupcakes, chocolate bars, choosing a side of salad over chips and sticking to my water to rehydrate.
Of course I was met with some obvious intrigue from my colleagues. One moron saying, 'So basically you're on the Atkins diet?' Um.... NO. I have just chosen to cut out all the processed, reconstituted (but absolutely delicious) shit, out from my day-to-day eating, it's a lifestyle choice not a diet! Veggies, fruit, yoghurt and meat were going to be my main focus. No more cheese burgers, a loaf of bread dipped in half a bottle of olive oil or family size packets of Doritos chips covered in melted cheese... Mmmm yum... I mean yuk!
With my diet down pat, my energy levels were booming giving me the boost I needed to get back into my exercise and the motivation to make a list of everything I wanted to achieve for 2011 and make it happen! It was then that I realised that life waits for no one. It's less about perfect plans and more about imperfect action. As soon as you start taking steps towards making it happen you have already set the wheels in motion for creating lasting habits that will enable you to carry out your vision.
No one wants to find themselves at the end of 2011 with a pocket full of the same dreams they had from years ago. If you accomplish what you set out to do this year then next year you can think of bigger and better dreams that will enrich your life as you take control of the kind of lifestyle you want to lead.
So make this the year that's full of ticks on your to-do lists instead of full of excuses. Dedicate yourself to your dreams the same way you to do to your job. Sometimes you don't feel like going but that doesn't mean you can just lie in bed! No, you get up and go anyway. Make this your most successful year yet, so that come Christmas time you are buzzing off all the things you have done and you're ready for an even better 2012!
