We are swiftly again moving closer to that moment you jump from one year into another in a blink of an eye. Yes, I am referring to the 31st of December.
It is not only an evening of joy and celebration (and some early hangovers 😀); it is also one in which millions of people across the globe make New Year’s resolutions.
Now, the resolutions themselves are not the issue; very noble intentions very often underpin them. The biggest challenge is that people often make life-changing resolutions without any action plan to support their decisions, and sadly, by the end of February, most resolutions are a thing of the past. All that remains are whispers of foolish decisions and a gazillion valid reasons why these resolutions could not be achieved. In fact, you wisely convince yourself that they were doomed from the start as you revert to your familiar, comfortable habits and continue repeating the past.
Now, If you are considering resolutions for your new year, and they can be truly powerful, I suggest making a few decisions you can stick to over time, re-wiring your habits one deliberate action at a time.
In isolation, they may not seem all that impressive; however, when considering their impact over time, you will see just how powerfully transformative they can be.
Consistency is key
One decision a day, one action a day, consistently and deliberately applied over time, makes a HUGE difference.
You don’t believe me?
Well, let us turn to the numbers to prove my point.
Now do I have your attention?
Still in doubt?
Let’s look at the World Cup Rugby 2023 for another example of how powerful 1 can be.
The Springbok team won the quarter-finals with 1 point.
Then came the semi-finals; low and behold, they again won with 1 point.
And then, in the finals again, 1 point made all the difference.
The sustained 1-point difference resulted not only in the World Cup win, which is an amazing achievement in itself, but it also meant the first-ever team to win consecutive World Cups, an even more incredible achievement, and all this as a result of 1.
I doubt even the most ardent skeptic can continue to ignore the power of 1 after considering the above.
Some deliberate decisions that can make a difference
Simply reducing your sugar intake could mean the difference between adult-onset diabetes or not. According to Mark Hyman, historically, we ate around 20 teaspoons of sugar yearly. Now we eat circ. 50 teaspoons a day. The average schoolboy has about 34 teaspoons of sugar a day.
Walking only 2 to 3 times a week could improve cognitive performance, enhance memory, improve depression, and lower blood pressure. Our brains and bodies were designed to thrive on exercise, and exercising improves the area of your brain most sensitive to changes in memory and mood. Exercise increases dopamine, which helps you focus, and serotonin, which calms you down. Better than loads of meds if you can avoid it, right?
A decision to stop using the word try could fundamentally change the energy you attract into your life. Remember that “try” is a very low-energy word, more often than not, followed by “but.” People always trying are almost always preparing their “but” before they have truly tried.
Deciding to take control of your thoughts for only the first 30 and last 30 minutes of the day can influence how sick or well you are. Remember that the mind influences the body.
Deciding to start taking Lions Mane mushrooms could significantly improve digestion and support cognitive function (improving memory & thinking). Yes, just one decision could do all that.
Lives are seldom magically transformed overnight, and unlike the instant frog-to-prince kiss, very often, the apparent miracles are the result of small, consistent, deliberate actions over time.
“One smile can start a friendship. One word can end a fight. One look can save a relationship. One person can change your life”.
What is your 2024 ONE?