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Monthly Resolutions - Feb '04
by
Kaitlyn
Just as I
suspected, 2004 brought a whole lot of people to the gym. Which is good, of
course, but it’s just so discouraging to know that within a few more weeks those
New Years’ Resolutionists are going to quietly disappear. I know I’m still stuck
on this whole New Year’s Resolution thing, but seriously, if you’re going to
make a resolution, swear by it, and then a little while later decide “this
resolution thing isn’t worth all this trouble (plus that ice cream looks
really good),” well then I guess that means you really don’t want it after
all. Or maybe you’re not ready. I don’t know. In any case, it’s frustrating to
watch because I want to do that every day. There are so many times I really just
want to give up for a moment of gratification and I can’t help the fact that
every time I see someone else do that, I am incredibly tempted to follow suit. I
got to thinking about all the hype that surrounds the New Year’s Resolution and
about what I could do to improve upon it.
Did I mention
that I went to Hawaii for my Christmas vacation? Oh I did. It was a much
needed vacation, let me tell you. Taking things at my own leisurely pace and
being able to sit all day and read and play in the sun – it was, well, paradise.
There were a few days where the day had just slipped through my fingers and I
hadn’t done what I had planned to do that day. I remember, one night, turning to
my brother just as I was about to go to bed and saying “I completely forgot to
go for a walk today.” “Don’t worry,” he said, “Tomorrow’s another day.” I went
to bed, thinking about what he said and it occurred to me that what is so
appealing about the New Year is that it represents a new start and a clean
slate. Of course, you say, that’s obvious. But why do we have to wait for
a whole year to start over? Tomorrow is a new day, a clean slate, a fresh start.
Why can’t we make a resolution every day?
I know that a
new resolution every day may sound preposterous. So this is what I propose:
Make a monthly resolution. It’s a new month: why not rejuvenate your
motivation by testing yourself and getting revved for a new project? So, on the
first of every month, after you flip your calendar, after you read the new
edition of Beginner Triathlete, grab your running shoes (or bike, or
swimsuit) and fulfill that new monthly resolution to improve your freestyle
stroke or to discover new trails to run or bike on. It’s up to you. Make it
happen! |
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