Resolutions? Get A Jump On Them!

It's getting to be that time of year - resolution time.

Everybody makes New Year's Resolutions....well, almost everybody. I'm not so much into them. Are you?

There are countless discussions among friends, TV shows, newspaper and magazine articles about making those changes starting Jan. 1. But I don't really understand the idea of making a positive change with the new year. Why wait? Why plan to do something good for yourself, but then wait a week or a month to do it?

If I need to make a change, I want to do it now, while I'm thinking about it. Maybe in part that's because of my sometimes short memory (collateral chemo damage). But I think it's more that if I want to improve something, the best time to do it is now. I might not be able to do it all now, but I can at least take the first steps. If I've determined that something will be a good and positive change for me, I want to start that change right now.

So, in these final days of 2011, why not get a jump start on your resolutions. If you are resolved to get more exercise, why not start today? Go for a walk. If you're resolved to eat more local or organic produce, pick up one thing on your next grocery trip. Want to eat more fruits and vegetables? Buy a banana instead of a candy bar. Just one. Today.

You don't have to be perfect. Expectations of perfection kill more good resolutions than anything else. Don't expect to be perfect. Just expect that you'll take a small step most days.

But don't wait until next week! Don't sit around in this week between Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa) and New Years, just waiting for next year. Take a step today.

Julie