New Year, New Decade

Or just another day.

Whatever your own approach, i’ve always thought it is an interesting period psychologically. 

In the lead up to Christmas it is hectic, no one has time for anything and races around doing a million things.

Then, Christmas to New Year, nothing gets done, power down and time seems to slow.

Then, the New Year and it’s back on in most every way – new plans, new goals, new energy to attack the year, or basically just reset and start again.

All in the matter of a few days.

For people like me, recklessly optimistic and cynical at the same time, it allows me to indulge both personality traits simultaneously, wrapped up in a little bow. So much fun.

Nowhere is this played out better than in our resolutions.

I’ll go first.

I have eaten and drunk my bodyweight in various fantastic things, so i’m back on the straight and narrow.

Saturday i’ll be back in the gym, the booze is gone and my caloric intake will be down. Way down.

Exercise for me is easy, I basically own a gym, so no excuses there.

Food is less easy, I like it a lot and eating is fun. I find good food easy, probably more so the overall amount.

Booze is trickier, in summer with the sun out and my beer fridge full, it doesn’t take much to get me feeling all festive again.

So while I start with these intentions, i’ll probably fall off the wagon. And that’s cool. Doesn’t mean it’s not worth trying. The thing is, if these changes were REALLY, REALLY important, the critical thing is to not be put off by not succeeding. Big changes, or maintaining change for a long time, is really hard. Particularly if you are trying to do so alone, and in the same environment you have always been in.

I imagine what i’d be like if my wife loved beer and chips!!! Far out man.

So, if you are trying to make big changes in your life in regard to health, pain, injury or fitness, make your resolutions and give them a crack. Just make one small adjustment to your approach.

Don’t try to avoid failure. Expect it.

Plan for it, especially what to do once you do.

Because we all fail, regularly. It is evolution’s great instructor.

Don’t beat yourself up about it, be happy you are an excellent example of your species.

Then – do something. 

Try again, ask for help, seek a better environment, find a buddy or a coach.

Just don’t stop and think “oh well, I tried”

Or don’t feel bad that you didn’t make wholesale changes to your life, quickly and easily.

Sounds pretty silly when you think about it

I’ll decide on one day to overhaul how I do things and expect to be able to do this new thing, constantly and forever, after not having done it before, or for a while.

For me, professionally at least, this comes down to changing how pain and injury is treated, managed and approached in our community. This needs to change and improve.

My lack of patience means the speed of this change frustrates me.

I have tried several things over the years which have fallen flat.

That bums me out. 

But, it informs what I do next.

2020 for me is about implementing something that makes an impact, after a few iterations of things that haven’t done much.

As always, I believe it will work, of course it will. 

If it doesn’t i’ll whinge and moan about it for a while.

Then i’ll go again.

I hope you do too.

And remember, if making any changes isn’t that important, summer goes for a long time and a man/woman is not a camel – so enjoy the beers, as I will be, no doubt.

Happy New Year

Dave