So far, the 2020s have not been an all-time favorite decade for most people. As January 1, 2022 gets closer, many of us are looking forward to the fresh start by making a New Year’s resolution.
Each year, the promise of a “New Year, New Me” inspires a flurry of commitments we make to ourselves to manifest the lives we’ve always dreamed of. The point, after all, of losing weight or saving more money is to be happier, right?
But how many of those resolutions from New Years gone by did we actually stick to? And of those, how many actually made a measurable impact on the quality of our lives? When we look back on our lives, will we remember how much happier we were after we lost those five pesky pounds? Did it really matter?
Resolutions That Matter
If we made a list of the things that make the biggest impact on our happiness, most of us would top our lists with our hobbies and quality time spent with family and friends. It’s the activities we love and the people in our lives that give life meaning. It’s not about how productive we are, how thin we are, or how much money we make. So why do we prioritize things that are only secondary to our happiness?
With a new New Year’s resolutions to make, why not resolve to make this year more meaningful? This year, consider quitting the old go-tos. Instead, prioritize doing the things you love with the people who matter. Maybe that means signing up for tennis lessons with your sister, scheduling weekly hikes with your significant other, or regularly meeting a parent at the park for coffee and a morning stroll. Whatever those things are that give your life meaning.
Think about what activities and people you actually, really enjoy. Are you doing those activities? Spending time with those people?
Make Your Resolution a Reality
It feels good to commit to spending more time doing things you love with people you care about. However, it wouldn’t be a resolution if you didn’t have a strategy to back it up. Whenever you’re setting a goal, first you need to consider where you’re currently at and why. If you’re not spending as much time doing things with people you love already, why not? What’s kept you from those things and people that make your life really good?
Is an injury keeping you from picking up the kids? Is pain stopping you from golfing with your friends? Or is a doctor’s knee- or back-pain advice to “take it easy” keeping you from hitting the road with your cycling or running club?
The thing is, the obstacles keeping you from the life you want aren’t so insurmountable. It just requires a little time upfront to come up with a game plan.
Living is about more than working, looking a certain way, or “having it all together”. Not only is the average resolution unattainable, it’s also a false metrics for a fulfilling and meaningful life.
So what does really living your life look like to you?
Don’t miss out on those things.
Whether your resolution is to ride your bike again, get to the top of Camelback, or play with your grandkids in 2022, don’t not do it! Identify what’s kept you from doing it in the past. Make a plan to tackle the obstacle, whether it’s an injury you haven’t made time to fix, a lack of clarity on how to fix it, or something else. Get back to living your life!
Don’t spend another day, month, or year not really living.
Build A Team That Has Your Back
The entire point of this resolution is to keep yourself connected to people who love and support you. Your family and friends are great resources that will hold you accountable to hanging out with them, and more importantly, to overcoming the obstacles that are keeping you apart. So share your resolution with them, and ask for their help.
Sometimes, though, friends and family aren’t the only support you need. If your obstacle requires professional help, the most important thing to do is finding a team that really cares about you and your goals.
The Doctors of Physical Therapy is a holistic, goal-driven practice that exists to help people Live Life Today. No matter what Living Life looks like to you, we’re here to help you achieve the goals that matter to you. The doctors at DPT will be on your team the whole way, and can help you make a plan to accomplish your goals and get back to living the life you love this year.
Call Lesa at (480) 386-9174 to find out how DPT can get you back to living life again. She’ll help you schedule a free, 30-minute Discovery Visit. At your visit, one of our doctors will give you a road map for accomplishing your goals and getting back to the life you love.
