(1) Make Resolutions Specific and Achievable  

If your goal is broad such as “I want to be physically fit in 2008,” it may feel daunting to tackle that goal.

Instead, rephrase that goal in specific terms such as, “I will lose 5 pounds a month for the next three months.” or “I will exercise for 30 minutes at least twice this week.

You can always increase the specific goals as you achieve success, but begin with smaller goals so that you can achieve them in a reasonable time and use that success to motivate you further.

(2) Develop the Skill of Positive Acknowledgment to Remain Consistent with Progress  

It is natural that there will be moments when you engage old habits that you are trying to change. How you handle those moments influences whether you can maintain momentum in achieving your new goals.

Positive acknowledgement is an alternative to rationalizing negative patterns. Rationalization can be a form of self sabotage that disempowers positive movement by creating a state of denial and diminished self responsibility.

It is difficult to change that which you do not perceive as detrimental or that which you perceive as having no responsibility to change.

Positive acknowledgement involves two steps.

(1) Acknowledging the behavior that is in opposition of your goals without self criticism, guilt or judgment. Begin this statement with the words, “I am choosing…”

(2) A statement of specific positive alternate behaviors. Begin this statement with, “I need to….”

Real World Example

Sarah has high blood pressure and is 35 pounds overweight. One of her new year’s resolutions is to adhere to a low sodium diet and low fat diet. She also set a goal to lose 7 pounds a month for the next five months.

She starts the year wonderfully adhering to these goals. She sees a lower blood pressure within the first month  (120/78 instead of 138/90), and by the beginning of February she has lost seven pounds.

In early February, she gets a new project at work that she experiences as stressful. She begins eating doughnuts as snacks.

Each time she eats a doughnut she says to herself, “Well, I deserve to treat myself to a tasty snack because I’m under a lot of stress. It’s not really hurting my health because I don’t do this all the time.”

Within two weeks, she has gained back the weight she lost plus a few more pounds, and her blood pressure is 140/90.

Positive acknowledgment can help empower Sarah to get back on track with her health resolution goals and help escape from a space of denial.

Sarah can state the behaviors that are in opposition of her goals:

“I am choosing to eat a food that is high in fat, sugar and salt.”

Next, she can state alternate positive behaviors which empower her to take action to break the habit of eating unhealthy foods.

“I need to be mindful to eat less sugar, salt and fat the rest of the day.”

“ I need to take ten minutes tonight to pack a snack of fresh fruit or light salads to bring to work with me tomorrow.”

Positive acknowledgment brings people to a state of conscious awareness of the role of choice in engaging certain behaviors, and most importantly, it empowers them to choose differently.

(3) Surround Yourself with People Who Will Challenge You to Stick to Your Resolutions

We always have the choice to surround ourselves with people who enable our negative habits or people who will encourage us to change

In the example above, an enabling friend might say to Sarah, “You’ve lost so much weight already, a little bit of indulgence won’t hurt you.”

In contrast, positively supportive friends might say “I can see you’re choosing to eat a high fat, high sugar doughnut. Are there healthy foods that you might also enjoy that you could bring to work tomorrow?” or “Can I offer you some of my apple instead?”

Ironically, many people distance themselves from people that can help them break out of negative habits, instead preferring to surround themselves with enablers because often that feels better on the shorter term.

It may be challenging to acknowledge that it is a deeper form of love and friendship to be positively truthful with ourselves and with others than to enable ourselves or others to engage in harmful behaviors.

Balance is key. If you are positively encouraging others to move past negative habits, and others are choosing to distance or not partake of that encouragement,  it is important to respect that decision and step back, or the dynamic becomes one of one person trying to control another--that also is not balanced.

Ultimately, each person has to sit with his or her choices and the consequences that come from those choices.

Food as Medicine:  Spice up Your Meals with Eggplant

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The information in Health Prosperity is for informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or treat any ailment or condition. Health Prosperity recommends that readers consult with their medical physicians before implementing any of the strategies or guidance regarding herbs, diet or qi gong movement.

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