Hi! Welcome to today. I know most of you are currently thinking about New Year’s resolutions, and we tend to know the trajectory of these. You start on some exercise or eating plan, get about 3-4 weeks in, you feel great, and then life happens. Work gets busy, or there’s a wedding, or family is in town, and the plan goes out the window. You feel defeated, like you can’t commit to anything and give up.
I’m here to tell you this does not have to be your result. You are powerful and successful. In fact, the best results I’ve seen in my most successful clients are those who are willing to commit to something, however small, and stick to it. I’ve seen constipation and skin issues cured just from simply committing to drinking 3-4 liters of water per day. I’ve seen gas and bloating stop just by recommending people chew their food. I’ve seen 30 pounds of weight loss happen over 6 months from a commitment to eating whole foods. The profound shifts we have seen in body and mind from committing to regular weekly or twice monthly bodywork are substantial. These are just some of the prolific offerings that come with commitment.
A year & ½ ago a friend of mine invited me to an exercise class at the gym. I really do not like classes as my past experience was an aerobics instructor yelling in my ear and feeling like a stumbly giraffe when it came to coordination. I was pleasantly surprised when the instructor was energetic, motivating, caring, and played some rockin’ music. Within 2 workouts, I could see some new results. Her energy and my friends’ attendance has kept me coming for a year and ½. Now don’t get me wrong, I have wanted to not show up because I’m tired, have work to do, don’t feel like driving there, etc etc. We are always going to come up against an excuse. However, I aimed to keep coming back, no matter how imperfectly I go.
By committing to this, I have had a steady exercise regimen for 3 days per week since and this has delivered substantial successes, such as:
1. Going on a 3 day mountain biking trip (which I was terrified of mountain biking) only to find I could have fun and I had built up the muscles and stamina to persist.
2. I see myself as someone who does not quit, someone keeps getting back up from any challenges life throws at me and will find a way.
3. I have better family time, improved moods, and more focus at work from committing to at minimum 4 hrs per week.
4. I drink less alcohol and eat less sugar and go to bed earlier, just so I can keep my commitment.
5. Being more willing to listen to others and learn from their expertise, which allows me to not have to know it all (phew!!).
4 hours per week! I cannot deny this as a success.
Now, take a look at your life. Stop here and brainstorm a list of 3-5 things that you could see yourself committing to. When you’ve got those, look at each of them and choose 1 that you will commit to do for the next year. That’s right. 52 weeks. Make it one that is reasonable to add to your life, and if it’s not reasonable, then make a Naturopathic Doctor’s appointment. We can coach you on finding a way to include your goal in your life. Share this goal with people that care about your growth. Who might you become after a whole year of commitment to change? Follow through, no matter how imperfect the follow through is. Even if you falter, by getting back up and restarting, you are a success.
Imagine if you were to go for a 30 min walk outside 2 times per week for the next year. That is over 100 times that you would get connection to nature. That is 100 times your nervous & lymph system would get relaxation and movement. What might that change in your body? What might that change in your mind? Or what if you committed to a monthly bodywork session, how might that shift your life for you? Come share with us your commitment to change, no matter how big or small. We are here to see you thrive.