Instead of trying to make a whole new you in the new year, why not shoot for a moderately new you?
A New Year
It’s that time where people start thinking about getting rid of the old and bringing in the new. It’s the end of the year and a time for reflection. Most people look at who they are and make choices about who they want to be. Often people try to be come a whole new person.
There’s a better way. Instead of trying to be a whole new you, which most people struggle to see through, why not try to be a moderately new you?
A Simple Question
Let me ask you a question. In each of these pairs of activities, which of the two sound more challenging:
- Building a house or adding on a deck?
- Writing a book or writing a page?
- Adding 30 minutes of gym time each day or walking around the neighborhood for 5 minutes (the weather not withstanding)?
- Cutting out junk food or eating 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day?
We often look to the big and monumental to make major changes, but big changes are hard. If we haven’t had the willpower to do the small things to keep us on the right path, it’s rare that we will find the willpower to make the giant changes to undo everything else. You want a whole new you, but you will be more successful with a moderately new you.
A Different Plan
Instead of looking at becoming a whole new you this new year, why not try something that will have a much higher rate of success?
Instead of going to the gym every day, why not focus on starting out with something more moderate – something that seems well within reach? Go for a walk around the neighborhood. Run in place 3 minutes a day. Do whatever it takes to make a simple change that you will do every day, consistently, no matter what. The consistency is the most important part of the process.
Trying to tackle giant goals seems daunting. Accomplishing small tasks is easy. Planning to write a book is hard, and when left as a goal often goes unfinished. Trying to write a page a day or even a paragraph twice a day is easy, and after a month, there is 15-30 pages of momentum making the next month even easier.
A Moderately New You
This year, don’t try for a whole new you. Strive to be a moderately new you. It’s not the hare that won the race, but the tortoise. It’s not the large, monumental changes that have the greatest impact; it’s the small consistent changes that happen day after day.
Become a moderately new you tomorrow. Do it consistently daily. You will love the positive changes in your life so much that you will make this your permanent resolution.
