I grew up in Minnesota. One thing's for sure: I know a lot about snow.
Did you know there are different sledding conditions?
When a foot of heavy snow falls and you sled down a hill for the first time, your ride is pretty slow, your path unknown, your journey relatively mundane.
But, once you sled down the same route a few times, your ride become faster, your path more direct, your journey more fun.
So, what does this have to do with New Year's resolutions?
First and foremost, it's a metaphor.
(So, don't freak out if you live in California and you can't hop on a sled. You can still turn your resolutions into reality!)
When you develop new habits, you're literally creating new pathways in your brain.
It's a lot like creating new sledding paths after a heavy snowfall. It's slow, it's boring, it's uncharted, at first.
But, if you're willing to re-commit to your new path, again and again, the route becomes established, the movement: faster, the experience: more fluid and fun!
As you're moving through the first few weeks of creating positive change in your world, remember that it's totally normal to feel the same way you do when you're on a sled, barely moving through a foot of new snow.
Also remember: If you're willing to walk back up the hill and re-commit to the new path, your ride will eventually become fast, fluid and worth it.
Secondly, it's exercise!
There are countless benefits to adding more movement to your daily routine. Don't miss out on them this year! Start small (a few minutes a day) and have fun with it!
"You couldn't pay me to not exercise."
-- Brian Johnson
Third, it's outside!
It's simple: Get outside as much as your can. It'll definitely have a positive impact on your physical and emotional health in 2016.
Finally, it's fun!
Commit to playing more, laughing more, and connecting more this new year and all your resolution will more likely become reality. Not only will you be more likely to reach your goals, but your achievements will come with more grace and ease.
Journeys are meant to be enjoyed...
"Attaining lasting happiness requires that we enjoy the journey on our way toward a destination we deem valuable. Happiness, therefore, is not about making it to the peak of the mountain, nor is it about climbing aimlessly around the mountain: happiness is the experience of climbing toward the peak." -- Tal Ben-Shahar
"You can't have a happy ending to an unhappy journey." -- Esther Hicks
"Success is how you collect your minutes. You spend millions of minutes to reach one triumph, one moment, then you spend maybe a thousand minutes enjoying it. If you were unhappy through those millions of minutes, what good is the thousand minutes of triumph? It doesn't equate. Life is made of small pleasures. Good eye contact over the breakfast table with your wife. A moment of touching a friend. Happiness is made of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. If you don't have all of those zillions of tiny successes, the big ones don't mean anything." -- Norman Lear
Annalicia Lynn is a yoga & Pilates instructor, health coach, writer, speaker, and founder of YogaAndPilatesOnline.com. She is a health & fitness contributor to CBS Minnesota News, The Huffington Post, Mind Body Green, ELITE DAILY, and Cameron Diaz's Body Book Blog. Through her Free 21-Day Movement Challenge, Yoga & Pilates Online Membership program, and writings, Annalicia helps women across the globe transcend the fears, doubts, and excuses blocking them from the fit, healthy lifestyles they desire. With 10+ years of teaching experience and a life's journey of lessons to share, she guides women on their path to achieving the lives & bodies they've always wanted - on terms rooted in deep self-understanding and self-care.
More From Annalicia:
101 Ways to Feel Better About Your Recent Weight Gain
Exercise Overhaul: 5 Unconventional Ways to Rev Up Your Workouts
9 Stress Management Secrets Every Busy Woman Should Know
How to Get Fit (Even If You're Crazy Busy & Don't Know Where to Start)
4 Reasons Pilates is Perfect For On-the-Go Women
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