 |
The Secret to Keeping Your New Year's Resolutions
Approximately 40% of Americans set New Year's Resolutions. For comparison, about one third of Americans watch the Super Bowl each year. Yet, according to Forbes, only 8% of resolutions are achieved and as many as 80% have failed by February.
Not surprisingly, the most common resolutions deal with health, fitness and weight loss. So what's the secret to those 8% who actually achieve them?
- Be Realistic - For example, have you struggled with your weight for most of your life? Expecting to be swimsuit ready by summer may not be realistic. How about losing a pound a week for the next 3 months?
- Inspire Yourself - Strive to set goals that make you excited. For example, if you want to stick to a budget and get your spending under control, inspire yourself to do so. Set a goal like "Pay off my credit card debt and save $3,000 to go to Costa Rica this Fall."
- Establish & Trust the Process - If your goal is related to weight loss, rather than set an exact number, make your resolution to see a nutritionist, exercise 3 times a week and cut out sugar.
- Celebrate the Wins - Don't just set big goals. Focus on smaller, achievable milestones and decide in advance how you'll celebrate. For example, if you're growing your business and you have a sales figure in mind, reward yourself with a new laptop, or tickets to a sporting event or concert when you achieve it. And, set smaller celebrations for hitting the half way mark.
Source: Success Magazine & Forbes
|
Common Traits of Those Who Live Healthfully to 100
A
study of people living in Cliento, Italy, a remote village known for people who live past 90 found they tended to have certain traits in common. It turns out you need to watch more than what you eat if you intend to live to 100.
Here are six traits they shared:
- Resilience and Adaptability - They described themselves as always being ready for changes and viewing them as a chance to grow, even when change meant the loss of a spouse or child.
- Accept & Recover From Things They Can't Change - They had all been through loss of loved ones, depression, and more but they believed they had to accept the things they can't change and fight for the things they can.
- Strong Work Ethic - They had a solid, lifetime work ethic and notable confidence in themselves.
- Postive Attitude - While their physical health may have deteriorated, their mental health remained high. Things like happiness and life satisfaction went up. Levels of stress and depression went down with age.
- Close Bond with Family, Religion and Country - They had strong social connections, social support and engagement as well as firm religious beliefs and practices and a strong foundation in loyalty to country.
- Remained Active - Most worked regularly in their homes and on their land. They felt it gave them purpose even after old age.
Source: Time
|
|
|
|
|
|
