From the helmet of: Telsa
Merriam-Webster defines the word resolution 5 ways, with lots of finer definitions beyond that. It's a word that can mean so many things, but they all boil down to... boiling down, making something complex simple, making something fuzzy sharp. It is the act of determining. What are you determined to do? And why do so many people this time of year hate on resolutions? Resolution is such a wonderful word! Scroll through your Facebook feed real quick, you'll see the jaded statuses, I'm sure. "Resolutions are stupid. They don't work." "Strive to be good all the time, not just on January 1st!" You might also see some folks making huge resolution lists full of unattainable goals (yikes), and some making comical resolutions, like, "My New Year's resolution is to take a bath at least once a week! Hardy har har!" Why all the hate? Maybe people are bitter because they've seen the truth. They've seen the gym, full to bursting on January 1st, and nearly empty by January 3rd. Maybe they've failed to keep past resolutions themselves. We all have. Well, I'm here to tell you why you SHOULD make a resolution. Not a list of resolutions, and not a dire, complicated resolution. Just one simple change. And January 1st is a nice, convenient date. It lends itself to tracking and progression. It's the beginning of something, a big, huge something that we call a year. Yes, yes, time is an unending thing, but we measure it for a reason. We're kinda obsessed as a species with measuring it. Here's what I'm saying: change begins with a decision. A decision is a resolution. So you waited until January 1st. Cool. The OCD in me loves that. Week 1, Day 1. It's so clean and nice. Let's use it. On day 1 we don't have to run a mile. We don't have to eat 1300 calories. We don't even have to turn off the TV and read a book. We just have to make a decision. OK! Enough with the heavy stuff. ONE DECISION! You can do that, right? One year I resolved to learn how to paint my nails. Yep. That happened. And I did it! I painted them a ton, and I got super great at it. I documented it all, too. That resolution didn't rock the Earth, and it wasn't heroic, I just kinda decided I wanted to learn how to paint my nails. I decided. Even if it was dumb, who cares? I did it. I also lost a ton of weight that year. There was something about setting an attainable goal that really got me motivated to set other goals. I did way more than learn how to paint my nails. I changed my life. With all that weight gone, my resolution for 2014 was to get stronger. I did floppy push-ups and sit-ups until I could do real ones. I didn't do them all the time, and I didn't go to the gym. I started derby in the summer, and really learned my own potential and strength, I learned mental strength and toughness. I got a concussion in October and learned how to be strong in other ways. Despite sickness and struggle, I can look back at 2014 and say that I did it. I got stronger. So, what about this year? Why not take today, January 1st, to make a decision? Just one! Make one you don't have a problem keeping. Resolve to make dinner at home more. Resolve to read a few books. As you begin to reach those attainable goals, you might just realize how empowering it is, and you might want to make more resolutions. They won't be your "New Year's Resolution," but they will be decisions. What are you determined to do? This year, because I now have derby in my life, I will make two resolutions. WOO! TWO! One for my derby life, and one for my regular life. But, you know what? I'm not gonna tell you what they are. I think that's where some folks fall down. Don't promise the world you're going to run a marathon by December, promise yourself. Pick something you can do, a goal you know you can reach, and start walking toward it. And don't be afraid to change your mind. No one else knows your determination, so who cares if you switch it up? Journey's aren't easy, and no one is judging you (because you don't have to tell anyone, remember? If you look at your path in February and realize it was off-course, then change it. The destination is growth. It doesn't matter much how you get there. A resolution simply means picking a direction in which to travel instead of wandering aimlessly. See how big I wrote that part? It's important. Do you have a resolution in mind? Good! Now boil it down. Make it simpler. Break it into its parts and find a common denominator. Here is an example of how to break down a decision into an attainable resolution: "I resolve to lose 50 pounds!" Ok, great! You want to lose 50 pounds. Sounds a little daunting. Losing weight = getting your health in check. Getting your health in check has a lot of parts. Pick a few parts on which to work earnestly. How about education, awareness, and food? Three simple parts. Your resolution, instead of losing 50 pounds, could be to read a book about nutrition. I bet reading that book on nutrition will open your eyes a little bit. It might inspire you to get moving, go for walks, maybe buy a fitbit and start tracking steps. It might change the way you see food, what you buy at the grocery store, and how much you eat. It might even lead to you losing some weight. Don't focus on the number on the scale, focus on the journey toward health. At the end of the year, don't ask yourself if you lost 50 pounds. Ask yourself if you experienced growth. I can imagine someone getting to the end of this article and wondering what the DEUCE it had to do with roller derby. Everything. It has everything to do with derby. Set some goals this year. Bite-sized, attainable, helpful goals. Can't do stops with your left foot? Resolve to try left-footed stops equally with right-footed. Feel super winded in the fourth minute of your 25 in 5? Resolve to skate for 7 minutes instead of 5 each time you try. Feel sluggish, or need to improve your form? Resolve to take a speed skating class. Resolved to try some weight-lifting or cross-training. We can always improve, all of us, but we all need to see progress to stay motivated. Resolve to do something that you know will help you make positive changes. And quit hating on resolutions! Being determined isn't a bad thing.
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Tesla and GravyJust two rollergirls trying to share the rollerlove from Austin, TX to the world. Archives
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