According to Plan—Living the Life you Envision
I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions. In my experience, they start strong but fizzle out quickly. I’m more of a fan of regular and consistent attention to habits and lifestyle, to goals and vision. Resolutions are popular because people tend to slip off their desired habits during the holidays, and resolutions help them get back on track. But it’s obviously better not to fall off the wagon in the first place. Easier said than done, I know. Treating yourself during special occasions is healthy. So where is the sweet spot? Where does a special treat start, and falling off the wagon begin?
The best of intentions
It all starts with the best of intentions. We plan to eat healthy, stay active, floss our teeth, visit elderly relatives, write that letter to the editor, and go to bed by ten. But then life happens, and we might view a falter in our desired habits as a failure. It’s not that simple. Most people will fall somewhere in between our best intentions and complete failure. Success is never perfection; it’s making progress toward our vision. Sometimes, our failure to live up to our intentions will seem dire indeed. We may binge eat until we’re sick. We may drink too much and embarrass ourselves. We may become irritable and short-tempered with our family. But any failure can be viewed as a blip on the way toward our vision as well. You have to allow for them and be kind to yourself.
Being consistently diligent
Kindness to yourself, however, is not the same thing as lying to yourself or rationalizing behavior. If you take backward steps in your habits or in your progress toward your goals, it’s essential to acknowledge that movement and work to understand why. Keeping track of your habits and the factors that influence them is a great way to make progress in sticking to them and achieving your goals. You can still incorporate built-in behaviors that let you take a break or enjoy an indulgence that isn’t part of your regular plan. But it’s important to make these intentional, specific, and acknowledge their effect on you.
Planned indulgences versus falling off the wagon
I’ll never be one of those guys who will not imbibe a glorious meal or take a glass of celebratory champagne because it’s not part of my plan. I also “live a little” when I’m on vacation or during time off. In the long run, planned indulgences are better for your habits than being completely strict. If you never allow yourself indulgences, the part of you that needs to enjoy life and revel in pleasure will never be satisfied and will continue to knock on the window until it’s a fist through broken glass.
Revisiting your plan regularly
My version of a New Year’s resolution is periodic assessments of my plan. I do this once every few months to review my plan honestly, ensure it’s consistent with my goals, and confirm it’s achievable and sustainable. Additionally, I review my life vision annually. I also keep a daily journal in which I describe my adherence to my plan, how I feel, how I slept, and anything else that might affect my ability to follow my plan. This is how I stay diligent. Even when I slide backwards, I am aware of the slide and try to understand why it happened and how it’s impacting my life.
A plan for adhering to your habits and working toward your life’s vision is critical, but perfection isn’t feasible or desirable, and allowing for indulgences is vital. The keys to living the life you envision are making progress and being honest with yourself.
Artwork by Roberto Bompiani
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