HEALTH

I

f you’re anything like me, you are 
eager for the shorter, colder days of 
winter to give way to warmer weath-
er where the thought of an evening walk 
is enticing! As you contin-
ue musing about spring, 
you then happily realize 
that summer can’t be far 
away, either. And then this 
happy bubble suddenly 
pops when you realize that 
summer means swimming, 
and that means bathing suit season…
ARRGGHH! 
And in that quiet moment, it occurs 
to you that somewhere over the last few 
months, your New Year’s resolutions 
to lose that excess weight and exercise 
more have fallen by the wayside. 
Does this scenario sound familiar? If 
so, you are not alone. Unfortunately, it’s 
more than just our goals to improve our 
appearance in a swimsuit that somehow 
fell off our radar in the months since 
New Year’s Eve, when all things seemed 

possible. Many of those forgotten goals 
are more closely related to our health, 
including cutting back on sugar, alcohol 
or cigarettes; checking blood sugar and 
blood pressure more frequently; and 
taking steps to better manage stress in 
our ever-changing world. 
Why does this happen? Why is it so 
common to eagerly make New Year’s 
Resolutions, so full of hope initially, only 
to feel that hope dissipating over time?
While there are many possible rea-
sons, losing touch with the reason why 
we wanted to make this change in the 
first place is often a factor. Making dif-
ficult changes requires some incentive. 
Usually that involves envisioning a dif-
ferent, better future for ourselves if we 
make a specific change or accomplish a 
goal. That “better life” can look differ-
ent from person to person, but it may 
involve finding love, being able to spend 
more time with grandchildren, living 
a longer, healthier life, or feeling up to 
returning to a much more active lifestyle. 

Another reason we often lose sight of 
our goals is that they simply seem too 
far away, with the journey requiring too 
much effort and the end never in sight. 
This is often the case when goals are 
too lofty and, therefore, overwhelming. 
So, what can we do to help?
• Reconnect with your why … the life 
you envisioned yourself having when 
you set your resolutions. Doing so can 
help you reach down and find the inner 
motivation to actively pursue change.
• Break down large goals into smaller, 
more doable steps to cultivate an atti-
tude of success. Success in and of itself 
can be a powerful motivating factor.
• Focus, recognize and celebrate your 
consistent effort rather than just the 
end results. 
• Brainstorm around any potential 
obstacles that, if unanticipated, might 
derail your efforts.
If this feels overwhelming, you are 
not alone. When it comes to taking 
good care of our health, some people 

Never 
Too Late 
to Return 
To Those 
Resolutions

Lynn Breuer

66 | MARCH 30 • 2023 

