|
Weight loss surgery is a gift. It is a gift that allows us to
have a second chance at life. And today is a day to look at the
year gone by and how well we have used that gift during this
year. It is traditionally a day for resolutions so that our year
ahead will be better. But let’s try doing this resolution thing
a little differently this year. Let’s try doing it so that we
have a chance that the resolution will work. To do that, let’s
reflect, recognize and resolve.
Reflect
Reflect on the year. Take a break today and really
think about how you spent your time. Consider yourself first.
How did you act and react to all of the things that happened
throughout this year? How did you spend your time? Was it work,
eat, sleep, work, eat, sleep? How much exercise time was there?
Was there time for you to do planning or organizing? Was there
time for fun?
Next reflect on your relationships with others. Have you made
new relationships? Or are there relationships in your life that
are continuing? Reflect on these relationships honestly. And
include your kids in this reflection.
Then reflect on yourself as you relate to the world. Have you
become more active in your church or helped a friend? Have you
become involved with a charity?
Recognize
Now let’s recognize. When you thought about how you
spent your time and your reactions to things that happened, did
you feel like you were in control? Or did you feel like you were
the pinball as opposed to the flippers? You know that
"out of
control" feeling when you are just bouncing off things that are
being thrown at you? Are you better off than you were one year
ago? What is better and what is not better? Did you spend your
time productively? Were you able to pursue things that were
important to you or are you stuck in an unproductive or
unsatisfying routine?
Do a health check of your relationships. Do your
relationships support you and support what is important to you?
Does your spouse, children or significant other know what
buttons to push to get you angry? How then do you handle that
anger?
When you reflect on yourself in the world, do you have any
sense that the world is a better place because you are in it?
And how does that make you feel about yourself?
Now for the good
part! Resolve
This is the good part, because if you make resolutions
that are just off the top of your head, no wonder that you’re
apt to forget your resolutions a week later and the next year
you are just making the same resolutions.
If through reflecting and recognizing, you determined that
you are out of control and that people and circumstances are
running your life, you need to resolve to seize control. Focus
on not letting that happen and work on directing your life.
Sometimes, the most important thing to learn to say
is, “No.”
If you are not better off now than a year ago, what are one
or two things that would help you to have a better life? Not a
whole list of things. Just focus on one or two. What can you
effectively do to add those?
How organized are you? Resolve to organize your life to
include what is important to you. Schedule those things that you
really want to do and stick to that schedule. It may be
difficult at first, but with practice, you can do it.
And wouldn’t it be nice to do something for others in some
way? This doesn’t have to be time consuming. You can just
say a nice word or smile at someone that you know needs it.
Doing something positive can enrich your life many times over.
New Year’s Resolutions involve making changes in our lives and
change does not happen overnight. Change is deliberate and you
have to really put thought into why you are changing and how to
make that change for it to work. This assessment will help you
to do just that so maybe this year your New Year’s Resolution
will work. |
