Accomplishing What Matters: New Year's Resolutions
Accomplishing What Matters 001: with Catherine Bodnar, Medical Director at the Midland County Health Department.
Accomplishment = ability to achieve the things that matter
Some of us may be grappling with the aftermath of our resolutions for the New Year. While not everyone sets formal New Year’s resolutions, most of us have some intentions for aspects of our lives we would like to improve. This can be almost anything, from the traditional resolutions of losing weight, getting fitter, improving nutrition, quitting tobacco, better managing of finances, and keeping up with medical screenings to less tangible aspirations of spending more time with family, being more present with friends and family, spiritual endeavors and many more...
Just do it! Is one approach. However, most intentions are not just one and done. Most intentions call for sustainability to endure. It is one thing to make a change when highly motivated, but what is the best way to maintain the intention as ups and downs of life unfold?
We may be highly motivated to make the change in the beginning. Maybe there was a recent health scare, financial struggles, or strained relationships. The longer-range benefits are often more important in the big picture view than any short-term benefits. However, it is much harder for longer-range benefits to sustain the day-to-day actions necessary to accomplish things that really matter.
Will the journey to achieve your intention be perfect? Of course not, or it would have already been accomplished. Be kind to yourself when you veer off course. Use the setback as a learning experience. Reset and recalibrate. What did you learn about the change you are making? Were new pitfalls identified? What aspects of the intention provide same day gratification, satisfaction, benefit, or value?
Having a clear “WIIFM” or “What’s In It For Me”, may sound selfish, but it can drive the daily action needed to make the long-term change sustainable, especially if it can be framed as WIIFM today. Whatever the change, having a mindset of an immediate positive impact can propel the change when life gets busy. Having a vague sense of being healthier in 20 years is not typically granular enough to sustain the intention, day in and day out. The WIIFM is too abstract. Some examples:
Regular exercise for weight maintenance and improved long-term health: Daily “WIIFM” is I feel better and have more energy after exercise today.
New Year’s resolution to eat healthy for weight loss: Daily “WIIFM” following the 3 s’ of weight loss: smaller portions, eat slowly and stop sooner so I feel better after meals and get even more enjoyment from eating right now.
Declutter the house long-term project: Daily WIIFM is the feeling of satisfaction I get right now when one small area (shelf, drawer, etc.) is pared down to keep only the items that continue to serve me. (Putting unnecessary “stuff” in another place does not count!)
The WIIFM needs to be personalized to what rings true for you. If you are working on an intention, resolution or a goal and have not identified a short term gain for yourself, pay close attention and ask yourself what is it that can keep me coming back? Take time to include the daily WIIFM in your longer-term resolutions!
Additional Reading:
“No Sweat!” Michelle Sager (addresses staying motivated to exercise)
Do you have a Midland County story you would like to tell that aligns with our vision?