As I was driving out to Starbucks tonight to get a cup of coffee and meet with a friend, I looked around at the Christmas lights that were still up. I noticed that more than half of them have come down and things are starting to look normal in our neighborhood again.
I was thinking about yesterday’s story of Charlie who spent the end of 2012 just like he spent the end of 2011: in the doctor’s office in poor health. He did not make changes needed when 2012 started. He kept the same habits up and that gave him the same results as the year before. In fact, research shows that 90% of patients who undergo heart surgery and are told they MUST make changes to their diet and drinking habits in order to live still do not change. No wonder the rest of us have so much trouble making meaningful changes!
We talked about habits, and we are talking about keys of change this week. I am willing to bet that many of those people who took their Christmas lights down are just like a lot of people around the world today: hungover. They decided to party last night and party way more than they should have.
Now I’m not putting down partying or having a good time; we have our share of parties and good times here at our house. But I wanted to use this one thing that I know many of us do to bring up the sad side to those that party and the world we live in today.
A major key to change is changing habits. This year, many did not change their habits even with all the advertising that said do not drink and drive. That is why have to have many police and law officials who work harder on the holidays catching those who cannot make the choice they had too much to drink and still decided to get behind the wheel. That is why we have stricter laws in place on certain holidays.
So today is the second day of 2013. Many are headed back to work; kids are headed back to school and many will be jumping right back into habits that have been set in their lives. While we need to work, and we need to have a daily schedule, we also need to look at how what is involved in that daily schedule involves the same habits that have kept us from changing what we really need to change.
Today’s call to action is this: if you want to lose weight, have you changed what your lunch habits are at work? If your goal is to learn more this year, have you picked up a book to read in your spare time? The major changes in your life will be in the small habits you do in those spare minutes you have each day.
Start today and make small changes; prepare now for the fact you will be tempted to fall into old habits. Set yourself up for success buy the books you need to read to learn. Make the investment in a self help course that gets you taking action. Sign up and invest in attending a live event that will teach you to make the changes you need.
I’m Tim Gillette. Are you ready to live your dream? It’s time to change, make 2013 the year you rock.
