Writing a New Year's Resolution...

It's crunch time for those New Year's Resolutions...You know those things we write down telling ourselves and the world:  It's a brand new year and I'm going to be a new, improved, better, and stronger brand new me!
We stick with them...who am I kidding...The only things New Year's Resolutions stick to is the post-it notes we wrote them on!  But why is that?

People generally dream too big!  Is that bad?  Hell no!  Dream big, because if you're going to dream then, dammit, do it right!  But dreams are just that-dreams.  Reality needs teaspoon servings of dreams...We're human and we don't accept change all that well.  So, let me explain this in words that I can understand and hopefully you will too!

So, I'm a nurse, I think we all know that by now, and as a nurse I use Care Plans to give each patient the nursing care they need and deserve (and by deserve I don't mean I judge them as good and bad to decide who I'm taking care of, because if you're my patient then you deserve the very best nursing care possible! :)!)

In a care plan-I won't go through the whole process, trust me you'd nod off before the second book was written-I chose a goal for the patient to complete so that he or she will get better.  So, let's say for example my patient is:
A 82 year old female with pneumonia, dementia, and is not able to walk.  If I write a goal for this patient:  The patient will be able to walk before discharge.  Whoa...First, could my patient walk in the first place?  If so, how weak is she that made her not able to walk?....The list of questions go on and on...

Same goes for New Year's Resolutions!  If you weigh three hundred pounds and your goal is to lose one hundred and fifty pounds, then you have to plan accordingly.  First, it took many years to reach three hundred pounds right?  I mean, it took your whole life!  So, how do you expect to lose half of that in a year?  Even if it is possible, you'll lose interest, decide it's not worth it or something else of the sort.

The way to keep yourself on track of any goal is to break down the big goal which is: I will lose one hundred and fifty pounds. From there make small, attainable goals that will aid in the larger one.  For example, The month of January I will lose five pounds by reducing the number of sugary foods that I consume daily by two servings, exercising for fifteen minutes twice a week and taking the stairs at work instead of the elevator.  This goal is more attainable, because I have a specific goal to achieve and a game plan outlined to complete it within the SMALL time-frame allowed.

So, write your hearts out and good luck!