Excuses, Excuses!
You've probably heard it from your family and friends and most likely have heard it from motivational or personal development sources - Don't make excuses for things you have done wrong.
Excuses, Excuses - for your failures, shortcomings, mistakes, and so on. Though I agree and am all for taking responsibility for most of those, this is not what I want to talk about. I actually want to talk about how good it is to find excuses. Yes, I said 'find excuses'.
New Year's day or event seems to be our biggest excuse for making positive changes in our lives. You've no doubt heard of New Year's resolutions. These are things that you become resolute or determined to do. The inference is that you have not been determined up to now. You were probably waiting for New Year's.
I was talking to many people before the end of the year, about changes they wanted to make in their lives - quit smoking, lose weight, exercise,... Almost all of them would say, "I'm starting on Jan 2 or a few days after New Year. Someone actually told me about how much she needed to give up sweets and that she was determined to start on Jan 2. She then picked up a dessert and walked away.
New Year's is a great excuse to make changes, but how about a new month, new week, new day, or even new hour. The thing is, you don't need a big milestone like a new year to make changes. Every day is a new day. "Great!", you say, "I'll start tomorrow." Here in lies another problem - There will always be a tomorrow. If you have it set in your mind and keep telling yourself, "I'll start tomorrow." then it will be easy to continue saying the same thing tomorrow, and the next day, and the next.
So if the time to start whatever change you wish to make, is not this moment, then set a date and stick with it. My thought is, 'this moment' is also good. If you are not going to the gym, starting your diet, or whatever you plan to do, this moment, then at least start thinking about what you are going to do on the date you start. Start making little changes working towards it - Eat less, walk more, a and so on . Because the idea is to start NOW. Your subconscious needs some proof that you are serious. The "I'm going to start my diet tomorrow, isn't convincing if you indulge in a large piece of cake. If you can't refuse the cake altogether, then only eat a portion of what you would eat. This shows your subconscious that changes are starting, making it easier when you do dive in and make the full dietary changes,
So, think of the changes that you have been wanting to make in your life. Find an EXCUSE to start making those changes soon if not now. If not now, set a date and start thinking about the little things you may be able to do now.
Everyday is a new day and therefore a great excuse to start making changes that you want.
