PREPARATION

Many people make resolutions at the beginning of the year in order to improve their lives. However, research has shown that by February some have begun to slack off, and worse, come December they are making the same resolution for the following year, yikes! Have to admit that I am in this category, but why? Research has also shown that people are not successful in keeping their resolutions because they aren't really ready to change their habits or they set unrealistic goals and expectations.

I had prayed for my out-of-whack body parts to get toned. As you can imagine, I didn't receive a magical answer from Him. Instead, I heard, "My child, you have to do the work." Sigh. So I made the decision to get active right away. I did not wait for the New Year; I took action as soon as it was feasible. To achieve any goal, you should begin working on it right away; delay is defeat. Another great benefit is to tell someone of your plans. Ironically, it might work better if the person isn’t close to you. Whomever you choose should be supportive, hold you accountable, and keep you on your toes!

Another change that was beneficial is to make a plan. When business managers have presentations for their clients or students have assignments, they all make preparations in advance. When you think about it, everyone does in most areas—getting ready for work, travelling to work, going on vacations, grocery shopping, planning weddings and other events, to name a few. So, anyone can get started on a project by taking steps to prepare for it. Some of you may recall the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you looked at your test grades. You didn’t study, hence the dismal results of not being prepared. The quote, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail,” is quite true.

Here are a few questions for you. Do you really, really, want to make a fresh start with something? What is it? What is the first thing you can do to make it happen? Tell a friend right now and work out a plan. A great idea is to create a vision board. However, as with most plans, you may have to tweak it, change something, or stop and regroup. But do not worry, just take one step at a time and build momentum. More importantly, don’t beat up yourself; have fun!