Be a Better You

Every journey begins with a single step. The truth in that simple sentence is empowering, isn’t it? It makes you feel like you can do anything, as long as you take that first step. A new year is on the way, and with it will come a rush of (rash) resolutions. Honorable as they may be, many of these will un-resolve themselves by February, if not sooner. We really ought to call them New Year’s wishes, rather than resolutions, for two reasons: We often make resolutions to make dramatic (i.e., unrealistic) changes. We typically don’t develop actionable plans for how we will make the changes. So when the time comes to act on our resolutions, we feel overwhelmed and discouraged. We falter. We fail. But it doesn’t have to be that way. And, when it comes to making positive changes in our lives, New Year’s needn’t even be involved. Every new day offers you a chance to make little changes that can help you become a bit better. Achieving a positive change in your life is fulfilling. Success silences negative self-talk. And after you make a change, the next one will come with less effort because you’re confident. You’ve done it before, so you know you can do it again. So by taking a small step toward a healthier lifestyle, you can hack your natural tendency to seek consistency, prompting additional small, related steps.