Ditch the Resolution –
Last year, the most common New Year’s resolution was fitness-related. “Roughly 50 million Americans pledged to increase activity and lose weight in 2017…Two months after pledging to become more active, only 37 percent of people in their 20s and 16 percent over age 50 had kept to their new fitness habit. Behavior change is tough, even when the benefits of such a change are clear.” The New York Times, Dec 23, 2017 Online version
Enough with the bad news. The real news is that resolutions come from the head and are measured by success or failure, whereas, intentions come from the heart and can be far more powerful and are more likely to stick. You really need to want something badly before you will change your habits. And even if you want it badly enough, you will most probably need help.
Intentions are Much More Powerful than Resolutions
So, this year instead of making a Resolution that you are likely to fail at within the first two months set an Intention. Here are five ways to get your intentions off to a great start.
- First and foremost, Figure out your WHY!
- Next you need a well thought through plan which is step by step, customized and tweaked along the way
- It is very important to line up your support network
- You will need to commit to some education. Health information is changing and can be confusing without research.
- It is helpful to have a cheerleader or health coach to keep you accountable and motivated along the way.
I can be part of numbers 2-5. But I cannot tell you Your Why?
Setting Your Intention
If you need help in figuring it out, try answering the following questions. (reprinted from Yoga International Article on Setting Intentions during the Winter Solstice, 2017)
- If I knew I could not fail, what do I think I should do or be doing that I am not? Why is this important to me?
- What is standing in my way? What has stopped me from achieving this goal in the past?
- What do I need to incorporate this intention into my life? System, time, money?
- What kind of support do I need? Are there people in my life working toward a similar goal, those working against me (consciously or otherwise)?
Now that you have figured out your compelling reason, here are a few more helpful pieces of advice that I have learned during my life changing year.
- Make it social—exercise buddy, accountability group
- Make it fun-you won’t want to do it unless you are enjoying it
- Start small—if you bite off too big a goal, you will get frustrated.
- Celebrate every success- Did you give up the sodas, did you drink more water, did you replace a sugary desert with something else that tastes good
- Give yourself rewards – Think other than food. Buy a new outfit, go to the spa, or buy a cool new cooking tool to make your cooking easier
I am proof you can change your health with a New Year’s Intention
My intention last year was to resolve my chronic inflammation, get my blood sugar under control and resolve my other chronic health conditions and avoid my mother’s fate due to Alzheimer’s disease. This past year’s intention has led me to include nutritional counseling and health coaching to my unique brand of yoga teaching and essential oils consulting. I am doing so with several new certificates under my belt. I have taken MBG’s 25-week Advanced Functional Nutritional Counseling training and Reframing Nutrition from the Holistic Nutrition lab. In addition, I have immersed myself in the following webinars and courses organized by reputable Doctors and other people in the Functional Medicine Healthcare Field.
The Diabetes Summit, The Thyroid Secret, Betrayal (documentary about chronic illnesses, Alzheimer’s, and our food and environment) The Better Belly Project Summit, The Arthritis Summit, The Broken Brain.
There are many ways to connect with my services. I would love for you to sign up for a FREE Facebook Live Webinar on January 6th, where I will provide you with really concrete ideas for starting on your journey toward health. Sign up here.
Please feel free to contact me at 239-634-0739 or andrea@heavenlanecreations.com for a FREE 30-minute consultation, and discover how Heaven Lane can work with you on the path to health and happiness. If you are interested in jewelry, you can use the contact form or order through my ETSY store.
Andrea Trank
239-634-0739
andrea@heavenlanecreations.com
HeavenLaneCreations.com
