Resolving to Resolve

http://www.gapersblock.com/detour/gfx/resolutions_01012007.jpgNew Year’s Resolutions. I have no idea what mine was last year because I didn’t write it down and as a Classic, if it’s going to get done, I have to write it down. But, the trap all personality types encounter with resolutions is that they’re vague & rarely do we have a back up plan.

To make my point, let’s take a gander at the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions, Like the ones I found on Now Public (“Survey says!:”)

  1. Make more time for family and friends
  2. Quit smoking
  3. Start exercising
  4. Go back to school/take a class
  5. Get out of debt
  6. Advance in your career, make more money
  7. Get into philanthropy and community involvement
  8. Quit drinking
  9. Lose weight
  10. Get out of a bad relationship / find true love

Others that made some Top 10 lists out there are: Get a raise/promotion, Get organized, Enjoy life more (hello, easy, get PixieTips) and finally, Take a vacation. This last one made me weep … people, you HAVE to take a yearly vacation even if you take, using my husband’s least favorite word, a “staycation.” These are Pixie orders and not to single anyone out but … ahem …  Classics & Funs who force themselves to act like Classics, are you listening??

Let’s say you pick one of these top 10 vague ones, say “Lose weight.” Great! Good for you. Happy New Year! January 2nd, it’s on your mind, you eat oatmeal instead of some delicious bacony sandwich for breakfast and keep nodding to your desire to eat less until President’s weekend, when you realize that you’re the same weight and you find that you’re inwardly chastising yourself for not sticking with your resolution. I’m betting July is the universal “give up” month.

So solutions. Classics (Me), Organic & Smart Structures write down your resolution somewhere important (daily planner or notebook). Then, write down how you’re going to achieve this resolution. If you find you’re having trouble, revisit your written goal and its corresponding ‘how to list’ and revise it. Sometimes what worked before doesn’t work anymore and you need to change things up (When I couldn’t get back into shape post baby, I started taking a pilates class — something I used to hate and hadn’t tried since 1996 — man it worked).

Funs, Organic & Smart Freedoms, you can generally trust that you’ll remember your resolution IF (big caveat) it is truly important to you, i.e., you WANT to change. Funs think about a few ways you’re going to make it happen, and just concsciously note when you make progress. You can write it down, but it’ll likely be in your head. Ditto for Organic & Smart Freedoms. But, Organic Freedoms consider a resolution that would mean a lot to someone you love (for whatever reason if it’s important to your loved one, you’re more likely to do it for them than you) I do question whether a large amount of Smart and Organic Freedoms ever make New Year’s Resolutions. Kate? We do! But make sure that its VERY important (ie. quitting smoking) or that you have a deadline (marathon anyone?) or that it’s the fifteenth time you’re trying and you can feel in your bones that you’re ready. And if you’ve failed before, try something new, like joining a support group or taking a fitness class with a friend.

(More on losing weight by type tomorrow and on Thursday.)