Stress Relief Blog

Two stress relief tips for New Year’s resolutions which are based on simplicity. However, before we get to our resolutions, it time to celebrate. It won’t be long before the champagne corks will be popping, revelers will revel, the ball will drop and we’re all presented with a clean slate.

A new year… The chance to make things better - and you can.

New Years resolutions an annual ritual…

Most of us make New Year’s resolutions. How many times have you resolved to quit smoking or start jogging a few miles in the morning? For many of us, it’s an annual ritual. Make the resolution, stick to it for a week and then quickly forget all about it as time passes.

New Year’s resolutions are prescriptions for failure if they aren’t reasonable. For example, if you half-heartedly resolve to quit smoking but light up at the stroke of midnight, your chances of keeping that resolution are nil. As a result, you feel like a failure. You tried, couldn’t quit, you failed.

What the problem with making New Years resolutions?

The problem isn’t in making the resolution. It’s a good one. The problem is an ability to maintain self-discipline over a long period of time. Old habits die hard. Older habits die even harder.

Keep Resolutions Reasonable…

To resolve to change your diet completely and lose 40 pounds by beach weather is probably not a resolution you can keep. Too much change at one time. Better to resolve to slowly transition out of your unhealthy diet into one that’s healthier.

Here’s how easy it is…Switch to skim milk. That’s easy. Look for Heart Smart foods when you shop. Eat more greens. None of these are earth shattering lifestyle changes, but the cumulative effect is a healthier you and resolution success. And, don’t forget: success builds on success.

What are reasonable resolutions?

Use the New Year to resolve, to alter bad habits but don’t create a trap in which you’re guaranteed to fail. Reasonable resolutions that you can stick to are much better than outrageous resolutions that you’ll forget before Valentine’s Day.

Don’t look for drastic changes. Know this: Just small changes in attitude that grow as the months pass.

The Conscious Act of Will…

It may not feel like it all of the time, but you are in charge. You are the boss. You can control your actions, your emotions, your relationships with others and your relationship with yourself. How?

By exerting a conscious act of will… “I will not eat any more fast foods.” By making that statement, you’re exercising your free will in a very conscious way. You made the decision and now, through your own self discipline - your conscious act of will- you will change your life.

An act of will, one you demonstrate to yourself, builds confidence and self-esteem. Confidence because you’ve reached your New Years resolution objective. Self-esteem because you’ve taken control of at least a portion of your life.

May the New Year 2008 bring you wisdom, serenity and peace?

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Cecil McIntosh, The EYC™ Stress Relaxation Expert with 14 years of experience helping Entrepreneurs like you, transform stress into success. He is a published author of many audio Relaxation Programs using accelerated learning approaches and a Teacher, NLP Trainer and life Coach. You can reach Cecil at cecil.mcintosh@gmail.com

Want to learn more tips and tools for New years resolutions? Or ** IS YOUR LIFE TOO BUSY … TOO MUCH STRESS? ** Do you want to find more time to enjoy stress relief? - Split Second Stress Relief

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