Why We Make Resolutions!

Why We Make Resolutions

The week between Christmas and New Years is a dangerous time. We have opened gifts, spent time with family and have indulged our senses. Reality sets in in a few days; a new year, a time to start over, an opportunity to be a better you. I do not like resolutions! For me, resolutions last about a week and are temporary. I have made the same ones we all make: lose weight, read more, spend more time with family, strive for world peace, blah, blah, blah. I start out with the best of intentions but then the commitment to the change is over within a week and my old ways resurface.

Christmas 2010 was a great one. I spent time with family, saw people I hadn't seen in years, and ate way too much. When we arrived home I stepped onto the scale. On Jan, 2, 2011, Steve Mills weighed 209 pounds. In the past when I have decided to drop some pounds, I would start the following Monday. In between the decision and the start date, I would eat all of the things I knew I was going to miss. Not this time! I decided right there and then to lose weight. Why was this time different? Why would I stick to my commitment now when so many times in the past I would fail? This time, I was losing fat for me. No one else. Losing fat and getting healthy was what I needed to do for me. My motivation was internal. I determined this was not a change that would last one year but would continue for a lifetime. Along the journey, someone asked me how long I was going to change my eating habits and eat healthy. I replied until I die.

The reason we make resolutions is simple: we do it because we want to effect a change in our life. We resolve to act or live differently because we do not like the way things have been. Do you like who you are? Are you comfortable with how you are? Is there something you would change about yourself given the opportunity? The frustrating part is we try to change the external part of who we are because we do not like the internal in hopes that people will like or love us. Cant do it. We paint the exterior of the house in hopes that the interior will get cleaned and when people drive by they will comment on wonderful the house looks. When we can truly learn to love the internal aspect of who we are, then the exterior will take care of itself.

I have lost a total of 27 pounds this year. Several people have commented on my external appearance of weight loss. The only reason is that I changed the internal.

I'm not making any resolutions this year but am going to do my best to love God will all of my heart, soul and mind and love others as I love myself.

Keep Running!
Steve