By the end of January, most well-meaning people have ultimately abandoned their New Year’s resolutions. One of the most popular resolutions to abandon is that of weight loss. Gyms that were packed with fitness enthusiasts, wearing brand new outfits fresh from the holidays, are back to normal by February. Sad, but true. Why is this?
In Chinese Medicine, the Liver is responsible for springing those ideas into action, but also for the follow through. If your energy is stagnant and stuck, it’s harder to follow through. Ironically, by exercising, you move that stagnant Liver energy. If these people had only stuck with it a little longer, maybe it would become a habit!
Why people don’t achieve their goals
What usually works against us is either a self-induced perfectionism or the “magic bullet” syndrome. Some people quit because they aren’t achieving their goals perfectly; if they binge on ice cream, they may as well quit, because they’ve “messed it up.” These people are more in the perfectionist category. Others quit because changes don’t happen fast enough for them. They haven’t lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks and therefore I may as well give up because it “doesn’t work.” These people went into their resolutions with a “magic bullet” type mentality. If it doesn’t work fast and with little effort on their part, they claim it isn’t effective.
How to turn it around
I’m here to turn both ideas upside down and state that every moment we can start over. As I tell people in The 21 Day Chinese Medicine Cleanse, every meal or snack is a chance to start over. Every day or decision point (“do I go to the gym or do I watch tv?”) is a chance to start over. The past is the past. Now is now. Choose what will serve you as you move forward.
Who cares if you just ate a pint of ice cream by yourself? Now it’s done and you can start over. So you didn’t go to the gym for 2 months and you’re just throwing money out the door at them? Decide to go today, even for just a few minutes. Or resolve to quit the membership and walk with your partner around your neighborhood every day if it’s not working to keep the gym membership. Do you tend to get angry? In this moment you can resolve to go scream into a pillow or beat your bed with a whiffle ball bat, as one of my colleagues recommends to her patients.
The point is, whatever your resolution is, whatever your goals are, to know that every moment is a new opportunity and you can choose to follow the path that aligns with your goals. Leave self-judgment behind. Weigh your options and choose consciously. You are worth it. Now move forward with the freedom of forgiveness, and go chase those goals down!! And if one of them is weight loss or feeling better, then I’d love for you to join me on The 21 Day Chinese Medicine Cleanse. Now is the start.
In health,
Jen
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