The Rollercoaster Ride We Call "resolutions"

I recoil when I hear the word "resolution." I think about the way we run ourselves ragged with our commitments to be, or do such and such. I picture pudgy bodies bouncing on elliptical machines, smokers seating themselves in the "non smoking section," dieters digging into a lunch bag loaded with carrot sticks and rice cakes.

I remember the resolutions that ranked on my list- weight loss, exercise goals, study this to achieve that. The typical American dreams to build a better me. The problems arose when I discovered I did not want to transition- from the telephone to the text books, from the couch to the gym, or from the cheesecake to the celery sticks. When the credit cards crawled out of my purse I relinquished my resolution to save more- spend less.

And this is the way the resolution rollercoaster rolls. First come the visions of victory, the scale flutters a flattering digit, the books crack open for scholarly study, and the credit cards get chucked. Then comes the footwork, when our goals must grip us, and guide us down the road to reach our resolutions. This is the hard part where some discover that our success seems too distant, and we plummet into a pit of perfunctory. If you're like me you end up sulking on the sofa, trading in the leafy salad for a long john, and the books go back on the shelf.

But I have discovered the secret to sticking to some of my goals, and making- not leaps towards perfection, but small steps in the right direction. And in this way I have actually met some of my goals.

It begins with the attitude we arm ourselves with, and the dreams we envision for ourselves. For example, when I decide that I want to become sexy, svelte, and toned- a regular buns of steel babe, I am doomed to fail. But when I tell myself the truth that a body like a Hollywood babe just isn't a practical pursuit I can more realistically imagine myself exercising for greater strength, energy and well being. I am able to trek towards the treadmill with a healthy attitude instead of a self defeating standard. And when I study to learn and expand my knowledge instead of aiming to achieve accolades, I become free to enjoy my journey. And finally, when I stop looking around at the jeans the Joneses sport, and the newest 'gotta have" gadgets, I can be satisfied with what I already have. I can stash my cash and even pay off those pesky credit cards.

So next time I roll up my sleeves to "resolve" something, let it be for the sake of health, happiness, and humanity.