Show of hands, how many of us have already broken our New Year’s resolutions two and a half weeks into the New Year? That’s because New Year’s resolutions are dumb. Seriously. They’re almost made to be broken. Just look at the gym—it starts out full every January, and by February or March it’s back to what it normally is every other day of the year.
It’s probably because of some stupid heroine saying “Tomorrow’s another day.” I’m looking at you, Scarlett O’Hara. It’s not. It’s actually the only day of the week that never comes. I’m guilty of putting things off until tomorrow. I’ll have chocolate today but starting tomorrow I won’t. Yeah, right. The problem with setting a New Year’s resolution is that it’s often short-term. People are looking for a quick fix instead of what they really need . . . a lifestyle change.
Throughout my late teen and into my adult years, I’ve tried it all when it comes to dieting and working out—South Beach Diet, eating “gluten free,” Weight Watchers, various gym memberships, barre classes, Pilates, yoga, zumba (just twice, it was terrible); only a few things have really stuck with me—spinning because it’s fun, hiking because I love nature, CrossFit, and eating Paleo. 
To be honest I haven’t been doing CrossFit and eating Paleo for very long because my first month of a pretty strict Paleo diet ended with Thanksgiving and we all know the rabbit hole of a food death trap you fall into after that holiday. With CrossFit, I’ve succumbed to some ankle injuries since I started last May, mostly because I’ve never really been an athletic person and am just learning how to be one. These two healthful habits have stuck with me for a simple reason: at 27, I finally am learning that in order to be the person I want to be, I need to change my lifestyle permanently. I can’t just change it temporarily and expect things to stay the same.
When you begin to look at changing the way you really live your life on a day-to-day instead of just quick fixes, it really truly works. One of my proudest moments of 2013, no joke, was not indulging in any cake or sweets on my roommate’s birthday. I proved to myself that I wasn’t a sugar junkie and didn’t need the delicious looking red velvet cake. Instead of something I can’t live without, it’s become something I can treat myself to occasionally.
Treats are more fun anyway! They feel special and deserved. I learned that if I want to make a change, I need to figure out how to incorporate that change into my life on a daily basis, and I did (but seriously holidays never count). I don’t really do New Year’s resolutions usually because I know how easy it is to fall off the wagon. This year, I have made it a resolution to be able to stand on my own two feet for the entire year. Right now, that’s a literal goal for me because I’ve injured my ankle twice in the past six months, but it’s figurative, too. So far, I’m going strong and I have every intention of still being that way come December.
