Thursday, January 6, 2011

Help for Your New Year's Resolutions


1. Command your muscles.
2. Change your thoughts.


If you want to lose weight:
1. Command your muscles to stop and not even pick up that candy bar (or whatever other food you know you shouldn’t be eating on your weight reduction regime).
2. Change your thoughts: When you have the urge/impulse to eat something that you know would not be the best for you – remind yourself: There are NO uncontrollable impulses. None.
You and you alone have the power, the ability to say NO to the impulse. To your impulse.
You may even want to use this exact statement: “NO, I am not going to give in to this impulse. I’m in control here!

Which brings up statements such as: I’ve got such a craving for a piece of chocolate (or a cookie, sugar, or whatever). In this case, the craving is a desire, a want. We could even label that craving as simply an impulse. True, the craving may technically come before the impulse - but for me that’s getting too scientific.

Think about it: What you’re calling a craving could simply be a strong or lingering impulse (to eat or drink whatever). A ‘craving’ sounds more serious, more intense, more uncontrollable – when in reality it is not! NOT!

Another think about it: calling it a craving may be simply an excuse to give in. And when we ‘give in’ we cave in, when with a little extra effort it could be a victory over the impulse, rather than a defeat – a self-defeat.

Whether it’s an urge, an impulse, or a craving –

....................... ALL of them are wants, NOT needs.


Your Goal: You want to get out of bed a half-hour earlier in the morning to increase your get-ready time so you’re not feeling totally rushed.
1. Command your muscles to move and get out of bed as soon as the alarm rings.
2. Change your thoughts: I made a firm decision to get up earlier and I’m sticking to that decision.

Your Goal: To take control of your temper outbursts.
1. Change your thoughts: whatever is causing your irritation, temper, anger, upset, frustration, aggravation – make it – label it a triviality compared to your sense of well-being, compared to your inner peace, compared to your mental health. Actually use the words: “This is a triviality”. Get into the habit.
The more you cancel out or nullify the temper thoughts, the less likely you are to say something you wish you hadn’t said.
2. Command your muscles… If you’re already past that point and have worked something up in your mind (via your thoughts), and the words are ‘right at the tip of your tongue’ -- Command your mouth muscles to be still. Do not open your mouth! Command your lip muscles to stay together. Be silent. A closed mouth cannot spew angry or hurt-filled words.


No matter what the area or topic of your resolution is – you can command your muscles to stop or go, to be still or move.

Sounds simple, and it really can be easy to. With practice everything becomes easier.

Your New Year’s Resolution is your PROMISE to yourself.

Treat it that way.


© 2011 Rose VanSickle ~ All rights reserved