I'm going to buck the healthy living bloggers trend, I'm going to go against the grain. This week I've read countless blogs talking about how terrible New Years resolutions are because they always fail, how TODAY is the day to start living healthy, not New Years.
I agree that IDEALLY it would be best to start NOW, not on a day that just so happens to be the first one of a new year. After all, January 1st isn't some magic day, its the same as any other day, right?
Yes AND No.
Why do we celebrate New Years?
The month of January was named Janus, the god of beginnings and endings. This particular god has two heads, one looks forward and the other looks back. This symbolizes a break from the old and the new.
We have thousands of years of history telling us January is the month for new beginnings. Furthermore, our ancestors believed whatever you did on the first day of the new year (like eating healthy, spending time with family) would be what you did for the rest of the year. Our course they also believed in polygamy, so I wouldn't suggest following their customs completely.
While they may not have had all the answers, they did realize that a clean slate or fresh start can help us grow. Does it have to be January 1st? Nope. CAN it be January 1st? Yes, with the right mindset.
To reach our goals we need specific steps how to achieve those goals, and we also need a start date for them. So pick January 1st to start with a clean slate. Use the next few days to write down your goal and then outline the steps you plan on taking to reach it.
On New Years Day put that plan into action. Don't let bloggers or Dr. Oz (is he still around?) convince you that you're going to fail simply because its a New Years resolution.
YOU hold the power to succeed. With a goal, steps to accomplish it, and the will power to do it, you WILL succeed.
Happy New Year!