Do you feel like you keep starting over with the same goals? About this time every winter I realize that I have already given up on many of the things that I wanted to change about myself in the new year. About two weeks in! I can’t believe it. Then I tell myself that next Monday I will kick into gear, and so it goes all year long. I start over at something almost every Monday, 52 times each, in some cases. Then I start with the same goals next year. I get mad at myself for not following through and I stay mad at myself for being so spineless. Rats!
But every once in a blue moon a new behavior takes hold, and I am super proud of myself when it does. Good job. For example, I wanted to drink more water every day and started it in the new year a couple of years ago. That lasted about a week, then I went back to my old ways. But, each Monday I started again trying to drink more water daily until it actually happened. Imagine that. Now I don’t have to try, it just happens. Good for me.
Things that many of us vow to do in the new year are: lose weight (of course), spend more time at the gym, walk 10,000 steps a day, spend less money, floss every day, keep the closet organized, make the bed every day, read more and watch less, clear the clutter at home, learn how to _______ (fill in the blank). You get the picture. If it is any consolation, most of those are on my list every annually.
Keep Starting Over Until Change Occurs
My point is that without starting, no change will occur. Without beginning to make the change you will never make the change. And the number of times that you begin has nothing to do with it. If I hadn’t begun over and over trying to incorporate more water in my day, it would not have happened. If I don’t make an effort to add some steps into my day, I will not add steps into my day, it’s that simple. What I want to say to you is this: no one achieves progress by not starting somewhere. You may have started a diet on January 2nd, and fell off the wagon on January 5th, but that is no reason to stop trying. And if there are people in your life who tell you anything different, tell them to kindly pipe down. Keep starting over. Yes, keep starting over every week if that is what it takes to get you to that one Monday when you just do it, whatever it is. Keep working toward 10,000 steps daily even if it is one added step each day. You will get there eventually. Keep starting over making your bed every day until you notice one week that you did it for seven days, then do it some more.
And, weight loss, I know it is tough. I have struggled with it for years, but for some reason, this time around I seem to be on a good track. I would not have found this track, however, without starting a diet every Monday 842 times! Who knows whether this time will work or not, but so far so good. I may get rid of a few pounds or I may not. I may get rid of a lot of pounds. And if I don’t, then I will start over.
The people who do not ever reach any goals, no matter how small, are those who do not start to make a change in the first place. They don’t want the personal let down. Or they don’t have the confidence. They don’t take the first step and they let doubting Thomases interfere, they listen to the little devil sitting on one shoulder. Maybe they are insecure or maybe they are perfect, who knows. I am pretty sure I am not either of those.
The moral of this story is this: I had to start my life over at sixty. Didn’t want to, didn’t like it, didn’t know how. And, I failed at every at everything I started, then, cried and screamed and threw a fit, then started over, rinse and repeat! Now, it is finally working. 2018 looks so bright and happy and fun and fulfilling, but it would have never happened if I hadn’t started over a million times.
What Are You Starting New in 2018?
Tell me what goals you have for 2018. Is this the first time you have worked on this particular goal or are you starting over again? It doesn’t matter how many times you have tried to conquer it, start over and do it.
Starting over is my way of life. My mother says I never finish anything. To that I respond – “when I stop doing it, I am finished”. But the truth is I truly do start new things – constantly. I love it! I have finally decided that I can do what I want to do. For instance, I love to cook and seriously gave thought to starting a personal chef biz. I researched the idea and even contacted a few people who were intrested. But, I soon figured out that while I loved to cook, I did not have a passion for being a personal chef. I must admit, this isn’t the first time I have entertained this idea – and so many others. My newest “start” has something to do with a dye cutting machine and fabric. We’ll see how long I do this before going back to one of the way too many things I start.
I am a 60+ aged woman who loves starting over.
Sonia, you will stick with something when it is the right thing for you. It sounds like you and I have a similar path, but Starting Over at Sixty is the right idea for me and I have found my home here. You will find yours as well so keep looking and thinking. Thank you for your comment.