Old Habits Die Hard

With the arrival of the year 2014, I’m sure we all plan to make some changes. I can still hear myself saying, “This year there are going to be some changes around here.”

So what is the top resolution for 2014? Well, according to Statisticbrain.com number one is the age-old favorite to lose some weight. That’s understandable. After eating all the left-over Halloween candy, enjoying all those Thanksgiving meals, and the snacks, treats, and dishes associated with Christmas, I bet most people have put on a few extra pounds. Of course, I’m like most people, so that was one of my resolutions. Along with promising my doctor, I’d get some exercise and get healthy or at the very least healthier. That shouldn’t be too hard. Should it? I’ll just change some of my behaviors. That should be easy.

I’m sure we’ve all tried to change some behavior in our life we wanted to be shed of. Sometimes it’s something so ingrained in our hearts and minds that we simply can’t manage to extricate it from our lives. Our best efforts fail, in some instances … repeatedly. Ah but isn’t that why humans are called creatures of habit. We like comfort, and our habits are the pacifier that sooths our spirits. We enjoy our habits because they make us who we are.

Statisticbrain.com tells us that only 38% of those individuals that resolve to lose weight will achieve their goal. They also state that by the first of February, 36% will have fallen by the wayside. Why is that when only thirty two days ago we were all so dead set on making a change?

When we decide to overcome, one or more, of our proclivities, we wage war against what is normal for us as individuals. What we want to do is exact some change on ourselves to become – hopefully – a better person. We would like the transition to be an easy one, but sadly change is never easy. Change is really about waging war against one’s self. It’s about launching an attack against the subconscious mind and forcing the brute to cease and desist those less than acceptable acts we so cherish. If we are steadfast and victorious, we will win the day and cast off the garment our habit has clothed us in. But be wary. These attacks can have devastating after effects should we fail at our endeavors.

Some late night when we should be in bed, our stomachs will growl, and we’ll decide to go exploring. “What’s in this cabinet? What’s left over in the fridge? Do I smell cake? Is there ice cream? How did these potato chips get here?” Then we find ourselves sprawled out on the couch with icing on our face and empty potato chip bags at our feet. We feel bad. We feel defeated. We give up because it’s just too difficult to exact a change. What we should do is shake it off. Get back up on that treadmill and tread upon that meal. It’s not over until you decide it’s over so don’t quit. Change is never easy, but if you make a habit out of taking steps to eliminate a habit soon enough you’ll be enjoying a new habit associated with a new you. Hang in there you can do it.

Until next time, keep reading. : )