It’s not New Year’s Resolutions we should be making. We should be making New Life Habits. No, that is not the same thing. We have all heard and told the story of New Year’s Resolutions gone bad. “I make the same resolution each year” or “I gave up by the third week in January”. Our society is full of people that want it right now and don’t want to work for it. The lives of many Americans are full of mindless rhetoric that just makes their day pass by. The rut they call their lives. Home to work and back, squeeze in the kids’ activities and your favorite sitcom and it is time for bed. Then they are frustrated because their life seems to have no meaning. They get angry when they realize that their life is flashing by with no signs of slowing down.
Habits, whether good or bad, define our life and our day. Change one of your habits and change a part of your life forever. Change the list of priorities on your schedule and you might find that your life has begun to take a turn for the better. The old quote says: “The definition of insanity is continuing to do the same things and expecting a different result.” Start to change what you do and you will begin to change who you are.
Our society is full of good intentions but limited on people that actually act on those intentions. Then those that want to make a change want a book to give them the specific steps on how to achieve their goals. Books like: “10 Ways to Make a Million Dollars” or “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”. People like these types of prescriptions because they have not really made the decision to change. They just want someone else to tell them what to do. Then when it doesn’t work they can say that they did all the steps but it didn’t work. This is just another way for them to pass the buck from personal responsibility to “he told me too”.
So, am I saying that it is impossible for someone to change? No, of course not, but what I am saying is that it takes more than a decision. It takes determination. It takes action. It takes a true commitment. Not many people want to turn their whole life around. Most just feel like there are some areas they would like to improve on or concentrate on. Everyone has a need to feel wanted and important. Americans have so many possessions that they miss out on some of the true blessings in their lives. The 50 inch plasma TV will not tell you your life has meaning.
Start changing your habits. My family was recently in a severe weather event that knocked out our cable TV. We spent four days, including a weekend without a TV. Not even local stations. We were all amazed at the amount of time we had. I read a book. My youngest daughter started knitting and my son found the science kit in the bottom of his closet. We played a few board games and even went to bed early one night. It was refreshing to not have spent an entire day in separate rooms watching the TV. If more families turned off the TV, if just for one night a week, they might be surprised at how much fun it could be. I have recently begun leaving for work 15 minutes early. Do I get more done? No, I spend 15 minutes in my car, in the parking garage reading a book. It is quiet, no one bothers me and I can leave the book in the car so I always have it with me.
Find the ways you want to improve you, and then begin by altering just one habit. It takes a while to change a habit so don’t rush things. Just be consistent. Make the changes things you can make permanent. Make sure you tell people what you are doing, it will keep you accountable and it may inspire them to make a change too. I am not going to list things you could change. That is for you to decide. I will tell you that the time is right now. Make the decision and start immediately. Do not wait till the first of the week or until…you fill in the blank. Start Right Now, Make a better YOU!