New year’s resolutions have become something of a joke. So unless you’re part of the 8% who actually succeed in achieving their goals, you’re probably not banking on this holiday tradition to actually make a difference in your life.
But recovery is different because recovery is a day-by-day process and not a once-a-year deal. Recovery is also about change and movement, and the start of a new year is one of the best times for trying something different.
The reason that so many great resolutions never survive past the first few weeks is that many of these goals are just not realistic. Face it; we all choose huge goals, like losing weight or getting organized. And we think we can do it all in the first week due to our obvious superhuman abilities. I mean, we‘ve survived another year, not to mention the end of the world, and that basically puts us in the same gene pool as Clark Kent.
Not.
On the other hand, small and specific goals have a better chance of surviving one whole year and beyond.
And luckily, small and specific goals fit right in with how recovery works. The trick it to set the right type of goals, so we’re here to give you some ideas. This blog lists 3 of these ideas; our sequel blog lists another 3. If you have other ideas, we’d love to hear them, so please leave a comment below.
1. Read an Inspirational Book
Inspiration is at the core of possibility, creativity and action. Inspiration can also change who we are, encourage us to reach our goal, and make our recovery brighter and more enjoyable. So why not make the year 2013 a year of inspiration?
Build yourself an inspirational reading list and create a doable, realistic reading plan. Maybe you want to read one book a month, or one every two months. Or if you’re really busy, just read one. Actually reading a book is more important than how many you plan to read.
(Oh, and don’t get hung up on needing to “finish” a book. Many people don’t read because they feel guilty when they start a book but never finish it. Let me tell you a secret. Most non-fiction books are actually redundant—you can usually grasp the key concepts in the first two or three chapters. Few non-fiction books actually provide unique information all the way through, so don’t feel badly about moving on to the next chapter or a new book once you’ve grasped the key idea. And don’t be afraid to skim read; you don’t have to read every word on a page to understand the key idea.)
Not sure which books to read? Ask your family or friends which books have made an impact in their life. If you’re still not sure, below are some ideas to get you started:
- Love Does by Bob Goff
- The Art of Possibility by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander
- Lone Survivor by Marcus Luttrell
- Life Itself by Roger Ebert
- Steve Jobs: The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal
You might also want to check out Duffy’s collection of helpful books during recovery or amazon’s list of top 10 inspirational biographies.
2. Help Others by Sharing an Encouraging Quote or Thought
Brighten a friend’s day (or week) by words of wisdom, a motivational quote or an inspiring story. Post it to your timeline, tweet it to your followers, share it on your blog, or write it on their Starbuck’s coffee sleeve. Not sure where to find this inspiration? Try reading (see #1 above)! Spreading kind words is a great way to help and encourage others, not to mention it’s a great way to keep you accountable to your reading plan.
3. Run Two Miles a Week
In previous blog posts, we have explored the benefits of running during recovery. After all, running is one of the best ways to promote a lasting recovery. And running is also one of the fastest ways to burn calories and lose weight.
So, it’s good for your health. It makes you look good. It makes you feel good about yourself. (Those aching muscles are just a reminder that you actually did work out. Let them ache.) It’s the new year’s resolution that covers your top most most desirable goals for 2013.
Make it a goal to run two miles a week in one or two settings. You won’t believe it, but two miles a week is shorter than you think, has more effects than you’d guess, and adds up to a lot of miles after one year.
By the way, gmap-pedometer is a great tool for mapping out routes, regardless of where you are.
Cranking the Possibility Gear
Did any of these crank your possibility gear or ignite that “I-can-do-it” feeling? Do any of these ideas appeal to you? Or maybe you already have a great idea of your own—in which case, please share it with other readers by commenting below!