Thursday 10 January 2013

Oh, not again! Resolutions.



So many of us start the year with good intentions to change something in our lives. Something that, maybe, we're are not happy with. But our endeavours so often lie in ruins before the first week is out. We failed at the first or second obstacle and gave up. The underlying message that feeds our soul, is that 'we're a failure'. 

Last year at this time, I wrote about my attitude to resolutions, particularly losing weight. I had a target.  A real target, not a fluffy idea. Something concrete. Being measured for a Games Maker uniform for the London12 Olympics and Paralympics. I succeeded in losing 26lbs. Hooray. It wasn’t easy, as I’m not good on the slow and steady route, but I got there.


Of course a few pounds a have crept back on, but I know what worked before, so here I go again. I have a wedding to attend in three weeks time and I’m back on track. The jacket and skirt that fitted me for a wedding last November, before the Christmas/New Year blow-out, make a concrete target. 

Modern technology has made it much easier, if you choose to use it. Here I will give a mention to Weight Watchers and their daily online diary. Group meetings are not for me, but keeping tabs on my laptop or mobile, has made decision making and motivation so much easier. It fascinates me, on why this particular method appears to be more successful than others.  Not only for me. Personally, I am not forbidden anything, nothing is 'a sin' or 'bad' and that is important. The other clever element is how it encourages you to do a little more exercise, any exercise will count. Even meandering around shops, should you so wish. 


http://www.weightwatchers.co.uk/index.aspx 


At the weekend, I read an article by a life coach about her own life. She experienced some major life events in 2011 and is having to address the fall-out. It would appear that while she knew what she would advise a client, she didn’t actually heed her own advice...until now.

The British Government on on the warpath against obesity and the millions it is costing the NHS in treating the consequential problems. It doesn’t help their case, when not only are some government members grossly obese, but so are medical staff. 

A small insight here from someone who has many years of experience working on hospital wards. The kind gifts of chocolates or biscuits, that are always in the office are highly tempting. The staff canteen, while featuring a healthy option, also displays the more tempting fare of fat and sugar laden foods. Before the 1990s, it was also the place where the staff could smoke, which they did copiously. Some things have changed for the better.

A survivor from the hedonistic music world is the drummer, *Ginger Baker. A man who had a serious, acknowledged drug addiction. In a recent newspaper profile he was asked about his life with an addiction.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2013/jan/05/ginger-baker-cream-interview


" Perhaps it would have been easier to go to rehab? "No, no, no, no! There's only one person who can help an addict and that's an addict himself. The whole rehab thing is just a bloody con to make money and take advantage. The whole thing is nonsense."


Music to my ears and acknowledgement of my own observations.


Another pop musician, Amy Winehouse, sang about not going into rehab.



They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

I'd rather be at home with ray
I ain't got seventy days
Cause there's nothing
There's nothing you can teach me
That I can't learn from Mr Hathaway

I didn't get a lot in class
But I know it don't come in a shot glass

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

The man said 'why do you think you here'
I said 'I got no idea
I'm gonna, I'm gonna lose my baby
so I always keep a bottle near'
He said 'I just think you're depressed,
Kiss me, yeah baby, and go rest'

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know

I don't ever wanna drink again
I just ooh I just need a friend
I'm not gonna spend ten weeks
have everyone think I'm on the mend

It's not just my pride
It's just 'til these tears have dried

They tried to make me go to rehab but I said 'no, no, no'
Yes I've been black but when I come back you'll know know know
I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine
He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go go go

But, sadly, she didn't survive. The friend she needed, remained in the bottle. There were many who wanted to help her (and also take advantage of her vulnerability), but she died before reaching that point of "I'm the only one that can do this" As Ginger Baker did. 

Is there something in your life you want to change for the better? Are you putting it off? Are you blaming others? What are you telling yourself about not succeeding? 


At some point, the penny will drop and you'll make that decision that change can happen and you can make it happen.


I'm not saying it will be easy, but it can be done.


Take you pick of some good quotes:


In order to succeed you must fail, so that you know what not to do the next time.
Anthony J. D'Angelo 


In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.

Bill Crosby

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.

Thomas A. Edison

or perhaps you're just not ready...yet.

If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. There's no point in being a damn fool about it.
W.C. Fields

* My husband feels that it should be mentioned that when we were just young things in 1967, we attended a university ball where a group was playing to about twenty people dancing. If only we'd really known and appreciated who it was. They were called Cream. The members were Ginger Baker, Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton.
©RitaLeaman2013

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