Do you have New Year’s Goals?

New Year’s best intentions have already fallen by the wayside for 80% of people. Part of the reason for that is the myth that a habit takes 3 weeks and you’re home free.

I’m not sure if many of the 21-Day challenges tease you based on that premise or not. I’ve been writing about this myth of the 3-week habit change since 1987. It’s a lie.

Like rumors that flew around in middle and high school, this one has been so perpetuated that no one even challenges it any more. A habit is documented in science as requiring an average of 66 days to change. That’s whether your making one or breaking one, and so often what you want to do requires both, doesn’t it?

In order to be at your optimal weight and energy, you have to start eating more vegetables and stop eating bars, and processed foods. In order to get toned and complete your first 5k, you have to start walking and lifting weights when you ordinarily watch TV.

Do you believe it takes 3 weeks – even when you’ve learned that’s a myth? Have you noticed this phenomenon? If you have a memory and it’s sketchy, your mind will fill in the blanks. A false truth can become something you adamantly defend. You believe it like it was the truth.

If you thought something, especially if you were upset, even if your perception was wrong, you will be certain that the belief, even if false, is true. You will continue to believe it and unless you’ve trained your mind to release negative thoughts you will hold it against anyone who challenges it.

Perception is everything.

Take a look at where your goals may have gone wrong.

Because in spite of the failure rate, goals, even resolutions, are good to set. They indicate hope. Without that, life is fairly dismal, isn’t it? State those goals again – in the positive.

Not lose 10 pounds. That’s negative.

There’s a focus on why you’re not perfect and there is truth to the woo-woo law of attraction: you get what you focus on. If you are focusing on weight you want to lose, you get to keep it.

What’s in your way?

Do you say these things or similar to yourself? “I’m so busy. I’m always doing so much”. “My husband just doesn’t understand me.” Do you want those things to be true? You perpetuate that situation by repeating them rather than finding a way to think about them in the past. Focus on how you can stop being part of the problem. Shed that skin of being static.

That’s just the way I am, love me anyway… is great. IF you love you that way. But if you don’t, you’re going to need to change the way you think. Catching yourself saying things you don’t want to be true is a part of them.

The question I have for you is are you getting some juice or energy from those statements? Do you prefer to keep them? Or do you want to change? We usually do get some juice from those negative habits we have. Much like a drug, a pattern of thinking is hard to change. You’ll have to decide however.

STRONGER is the acronym I used on this episode to remind you with what’s important as you set or reset New Year’s Goals.

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