Guest article from MINES’ Wellness Provider Michelle Zellner

Cambridge dictionary states a resolution is “a promise to yourself to do or not do something” and January is the most popular month where many declare these promises to change habits and accomplish goals. Resolutions have been around for thousands of years, originally focused on pleasing the gods, rather than pleasing or bettering ourselves. As cultures and society have evolved, so too, has the concept of resolutions. Modern life has afforded many the luxuries of easy access to food, less need for physical exertion, ability to obtain material goods and opportunities to experience joy for joy’s sake. Relative to centuries ago, modern life is one of abundance, however, in terms of physical, mental and financial health, a life of ease and excess can put one in a precarious position. January to the rescue!

I’ve asked myself for years, ‘what is so special about January?’, even while following the herd in making said promises. There is something psychologically enticing about waiting to start fresh, on a symbolic fresh start, be it on Monday, the first of the month, or the beginning of a new year. It not only provides a target for jumping on board, but also allows us to put off something we might not be super excited about doing. It gives us an opportunity for one last act of rebellion or defiance before we resolve to get serious about tackling a challenge.

And yet, few are successful at fulfilling the promises they make. Some have gone down the same path for years and years, only to finally give up on making resolutions. The perspective is “why bother if they aren’t going to come true anyway” as if there is a magical property of simply making a promise. This was where I eventually found myself, and for a span of time simply shrugged of the whole resolution thing, reverting to an eye roll when the topic came around for discussion.

Fast forward a few years where I faced the ugly truth that unless I got a grip on some of my habits and ways about life, my future self would be living with many regrets. I took a step back to analyze WHY I wasn’t successful in following through on these promises that I truly believed in. I really did want to eat better, lose weight, and get along with my sister. There were activities and bucket-list experiences I whole-heartedly wanted to check off. WHY had these things not yet happened for me? While each particular goal has its unique answer, there was a common theme. I had simply not taken the time to set myself up for success. This shift of perspective, rewriting the failure narrative, and a new approach was just what I needed.

The first step to my resolution solution is to clarify exactly what it is I am wanting to achieve. Eat better, lose weight, have a better relationship with my sister—these are all vague and ambiguous. Specifics make it easy to highlight whether or not I am setting a realistic expectation and gives me a tangible result to track and measure. It also carves a path for reflection to see what is and isn’t working.

The next step is to ask myself WHY? Why do I want to eat better, lose weight, get along with my sister, run a marathon, visit my friend Sara, etc? Whether behavior change, accomplishing a goal or checking off a bucket-list experience, there should be a good reason why you want to do that. If you don’t have a strong, personally meaningful motivator, the likelihood you are going to make the hard choices necessary is pretty slim.

Once I’ve determined my WHY, I’ll need to identify potential obstacles that will prevent me from following through on the actions. When I reflected upon my past attempts at behavior change, this was the step I failed to recognize. If I didn’t account for an obstacle and figure out a strategy around it, I would hit the wall and turn around—ie, I failed. Sometimes there are multiple obstacles, requiring multiple strategies. Uncovering these is part of the discovery and growth process and will enhance self-awareness that will prove useful in the future!

I realized a major obstacle to achieving my goals was my state of mind. My younger self was inundated with limiting beliefs and ingrained internal narratives and gravitated toward all-or-nothing tendencies. These are roadblocks to success and changing my mind was imperative. Adopting a growth mindset, challenging the inner chatter and combating the critic are foundational elements for growth and crucial to keep you moving forward on the journey. While there are a few things that require an all-or-nothing approach, for many habits we are attempting to change, this approach will actually lead you nowhere fast.

Another component of my solution is to ask for help and support. Change is hard. Conquering challenges is hard. Doing this alone is hard. Humans are pack animals, designed to be guided, held accountable and cheered. To go down the road alone is not only not necessary, but not normal! Support can look a variety of ways: a best friend, a like-minded person, a coach, a group focused on similar goals. The key is SOMEONE should know what it is you are trying to accomplish and how they can support you in that endeavor.

With all of these concepts in place, I still felt a bit squishy when I would hear the word “resolution”. That word feels rigid–you either kept the promise or you didn’t. There is no room for grey, for better than, for closer than I was before. Life is not rigid, few things are black OR white, and many things we strive for are an ongoing process.

Resolution tends to focus on a final outcome, and while we aim to achieve these results, we are actually only in charge of our behaviors. And that was my lightbulb moment! If I shift my energy to what I am in control of, engage in behaviors necessary to reach an outcome, I’ll most likely reach the outcome. Or get closer to it. Or learn a lot about myself along the way, making me better than I was before. Any which way it goes, I cannot fail.

So rather than setting resolutions, I set my intentions, aligning them with my priorities, values and core guiding principles. I declare how I intend to spend my time, energy and money and outline the choices I intend to make. Navigating my own course, diligently implementing the strategies to follow through, is empowering and inspiring. Enjoying the benefits of hard work is satisfying and motivating. This triggers an attitude of curiosity, a perpetual appetite for challenge and desire to thrive.

Every now and then I don’t even bother waiting until January to get started.

To your wellbeing,

The MINES Team

Content provided by:

Michelle Zellner, Owner Better Beings/Creator of the YOU Revolution, Health and Happiness Strategist, Author/Public Speaker/Corporate Wellness Trainer

michelle@betterbeings

www.betterbeings.net

The post The Resolution Solution appeared first on MINES and Associates.

The new year brings hopes and dreams for the future. You’ve made your resolutions — to lose weight, exercise, plan a dream vacation, for example.

Don’t forget, however, that you also spend one-third of your day at work. You can improve your on-the-job enjoyment and your productivity by making the following work resolutions.

Learn new skills
To keep your career moving forward and prevent burnout, learn some new skills. Investigate which ones you’ll need for a promotion or for your dream job, then make sure you acquire them. Make a resolution to always be learning something new.

Keep organized
Most people don’t function well in the midst of chaos. The clutter on your desk likely distracts you and muddles your thinking. If your office is disorganized, the time you spend getting organized will be paid back in less stress and increased productivity.

Make a resolution to spend the last 15 minutes of every day clearing your desk and getting organized for the next day.

Take daily breaks
Human beings aren’t built to sit at a desk for hours at a stretch — that’s why the coffee break was invented. But, there are better ways to use your breaks — quick, simple techniques that rejuvenate the body, mind, and spirit so you can return to work refreshed and ready to accomplish great things.

The following energizing breaks take less than two minutes: Count down from 10 to one, taking a deep breath with each number. Read affirmations, inspiring quotes or poetry. Read a couple of pages of a book. Put your hands over your eyes and visualize a favorite vacation spot. Gaze out a window. Listen to your favorite music. Stand up and stretch your muscles. Doodle. Drink a full glass of water. Eat a healthy snack. Take a short walk.

Structure your time
Are you wasting time taking care of things that just aren’t important? If so, you’ll be frustrated when you fritter away your workdays doing things your boss would consider insignificant.

The solution is to block off one or two hours of quiet time each day that you spend focusing on your important tasks. Since most people concentrate best in the morning, choose your quiet time early in the day. Then transfer your calls to your voice mail and put a “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door.

Make a resolution to set aside quiet time every day to work on your important projects.

Keep an accomplishment journal
Buy a separate notebook for an Accomplishment Journal. At the end of the day, write the date on a new page and write something that you accomplished. It doesn’t have to be something major. Even little steps of progress need to be acknowledged.

For example: “I dealt with Mr. Jones, a difficult customer, in a very kind and professional way.” “I wrote two pages of a special report.”

Writing such a journal increases your enthusiasm as you look for things to accomplish and write in your journal. Your focus will be on what you did instead of what you didn’t do. Keeping the journal will also give you more confidence during employee reviews or when asking for a promotion.

One last thought: When you follow through on your work resolutions and make them daily habits, you’ll experience increased productivity, more energy and enthusiasm and the joy of accomplishment.

The post Workplace Goals for the New Year appeared first on MINES and Associates.

1. Have a plan. You will be more successful if you create a concrete plan of action.  Instead of making a resolution to “lose 20 pounds”, make a resolution to exercise four times a week for 30 minutes.  Take the opportunity to be even more specific.  Make a list of the type of exercises for given days of the week. Mondays might be a walk at lunchtime, Tuesdays could be a yoga class after work, Wednesdays can be a gentle stretch and calisthenics before work, etc.  The more concrete you can be in the planning process the higher your success rate will be.  Whether you write your plan down in a journal or a calendar, or download a habit app like Way of Life or Habit List, these tools can help you get organized and assist you in the planning process so you can stay focused on your goals. A few MINES employees have tried these and can tell you they work great, but there are many others that may be better or better suited to your needs and span both android and iOS.
2. Be realistic. Perhaps in your most inspired moment you set your resolve to exercising 30 minutes, four times a week.  Revisit that resolution.  Ask yourself if that is realistic.  Would every other day be more manageable?  Or just weekends?  Set yourself up for success by being realistic. Commitment in smaller increments is always more doable than overwhelming yourself. You can always revisit your plan.  Once you have reached the smaller goal with consistency, you might ratchet your commitment up a step.  But pace yourself!   You do not want to burn out before you begin to experience positive results.  There is a reason that the phrase “one day at a time” appears on bumper stickers and posters frequently—it works.  Also, be sure to celebrate the small steps, instead of waiting to until you have fully reached your goal.
3. Know why. Why do you want to change? Do you need to change? Or are you feeling the pressure of societal norms?  You will be more successful at reaching your goals if your resolutions align with your own personal desires.  You are more likely to be invested in the process of change if it is something you truly believe in.  If the change is congruent with your personal values you will have a deeper understanding of why you want to change.
4. Have support. Telling a friend, family member, or co-worker about your resolution will ensure that you will get the support you need.  The people you choose to tell about your new goals will help you stay accountable.  Being public about your resolutions might also lead you to someone who would like to join you on your journey.  You may also consider helping to support others in reaching their goals.  Watching and helping others can, in turn, inspire you to continue your efforts and ensure your resolutions will last.
5. Be patient and have compassion. Remember, change takes time and it is a natural part of the process to slip up or “fall off the wagon.” In these moments it is important to be kind and compassionate with yourself.  If you made a resolution to cut back on eating sweets and you have a night where you eat a whole box of cookies, don’t beat yourself up after the fact!  For one thing you might already feel ill from too much sugar.  Just gently remind yourself that you have a concrete goal and a specific plan that will allow you to get right back on track.  Do not get discouraged or give up because of a few slip-ups. Tomorrow is a new day and you can pick up from where you left off.

Putting New Year’s resolutions into action is not an easy process, but if you consider these tips they can ensure that the changes you make will last well into the year and can eventually become habit and a characteristic of the new you! Keep in mind; any time of the year is an appropriate time to make a resolution. We at MINES and Associates wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

To Your Well Being

Alea Makley, MA – Clinical Case Manager

The MINES Team

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