Something To Think About

New Year’s Resolutions?

Here we are again, at the start of a new year.  And everyone is busy making New Year’s resolutions and unfortunately, like you, I don’t often manage to stick to them. This brings up a couple of questions: Why can’t I meet those resolutions and what affect will these failures have on me when I cannot meet them?

First, when I look at the astrology involved with starting something new, it would be better to remember that new projects are best begun on the New Moon of the month.  However, this is not at the beginning of the month.  So, astrologically speaking, when I set New Year’s resolutions, to be started at the beginning of the New Year, I have already set myself on an uphill task, even if the resolutions are do-able and reasonable. 

This brings up another thing that has to be considered.  Can I accomplish the resolutions I am making or am I attempting something beyond my abilities.  How often have I said that I am going to lose weight, or exercise or some other daily life change?  If I want to lose weight, perhaps it would be better to say that I am going to lose 10 pounds, in the next 2 months.  When I do this kind of resolution, there is a specific amount of time and weight involved, and I am done when the time is up.  It is not a constant, all year long, thing that hounds me and forces me to feel like a failure forever if I don’t accomplish it. And when I do accomplish it, I can know that I did it before and go on with the rest of the year.  I can even set more goals, knowing that I have the success of the last goal to give me a boost.

But what if you or I are unable to do what we want?  Do we beat ourselves up?  I sincerely hope not.  Ok, we didn’t succeed this time.  What happened?  Do we need to make the goal more reasonable?  Perhaps we were trying for too much? Do we want to try another, modified goal? That can be a decision for later.  Although the goal seemed to be a good idea at the time, perhaps with reflection, we realize that it wasn’t as realistic as we thought.  It would be better to give ourselves a break.  If we tried and didn’t succeed, OK.  Let’s cut ourselves some slack and try again if we want, with a modified goal. It seemed like a do-able goal, a good idea, at the time. We, now, know that it wasn’t.  But hind-sight is 20-20.  Let it go.  It would be better not to continue to blame ourselves and feel guilty that we didn’t meet the expectation. It would be better not to blame ourselves.  Just readjust goal to be more do-able and try again.  It would be better not to beat ourselves up.  

Perhaps it would be better if we were to determine that we are going to better our lives in other ways.  Why not adopt the 7 principles: Love, Compassion, Understanding, Honesty, Honor, Humility, and the theory that the Means must justify the End. As you work on these principles, it is not a matter of success or failure, but an effort to change your life for the better through the way you live.  And as you proceed, you are your own measure. The changes that occur in your life may not be noticeable to you, but others will see the changes in you. You win, others win, everyone benefits.

If you feel the necessity of traditional goals, you may want to modify how you make them AND you may want to wait until the next New Moon or start the resolution before the end of the year to coincide with the New Moon of December.  Both ideas give you a better chance at success.  But, perhaps, if you really want to change your lives, consider one or more of the 7 principles on which to concentrate.  You will be surprised at the changes and difference in your life.

© Heather Hunziker - January, 2012

Peace,

Heather