Day: March 2, 2017

Stopping by the gym on Tuesday reminded me that at the beginning of every year millions of people make promises to themselves, New Year’s resolutions, and break them fairly soon after.  I know why gyms offer incredible discounts in December and January – it’s easy money. People sign up, come for a couple of weeks, and never show up again.

The locker room at 2pm was more or less a ghost town – except the same guys I’ve noticed at the gym for the last 3 years. The difference between them and the people who couldn’t last a week is will and dedication. I’ve read in many books about the time it takes to create a habit – usually 30 days. Through personal experience I would generally agree with that number. It takes about a month for me to develop the habit – and usually another month for me to internalize the habit to the point where I feel a need to continue the habit.

An interesting book I read recently was The Power of Habit, by Charles Duhigg. He makes a compelling that we are the habits we cultivate.

To paraphrase one of my favorite quotes – too many people quit when they are on the edge of success. March always reminds me of the people who started the New Year with great hopes and aspirations – but fell back into their same old habits. It seems that they forgot why they started in the first place – they took their eyes off the prize.  March should be a month where you are satisfied with the progress you make in bettering yourself – not regretting quitting. So, if you are reading this – and find yourself sliding back into old habits – remember that it’s not too late to start again. Everyday take a minute to reflect on what your ultimate goal is – lose weight, pay off a bill, finish a class, or learn a new skill. Visualize yourself at the end of your journey and don’t quit.

“Age wrinkles the body; quitting wrinkles the soul.” – Douglas MacArthur

March reminds me of the play Julius Caesar by Shakespeare and the ominous warning in the play, “Beware the Ides of March!”  More on the Ides of March as it gets closer, but I wanted to talk about some of our friends who, by design or accident, tend to steal our happiness.

How many times have you asked someone about a trip or a movie and they told you how bad it was, or how they didn’t enjoy the experience?  Sometimes, my friends will even try to convince me that a movie I’ve seen is bad, or how a restaurant I like has bad service or poor quality food.  They then proceed to attempt to convince me why I should change my mind.  All the while I’m wondering, why they are so passionate at convincing me, or why they care if I like this movie or restaurant.  I believe that some people, even friends, just want to steal your happiness.  Not necessarily with malice, it’s just who they are.

Don’t let your friends, or anyone for that matter, bring you down – instead, bring them up.  Make that your daily goal. Don’t be surprised if you have some that refuse to be happy, and like crabs in a barrel, are only happy when they are dragging you down. On that note – much of what is now being labeled as “fake news” by both sides is simply one person’s point of view.  Make it your goal to read, watch, or listen to what a person has actually said or written before believing the spin.  Don’t let the press, right or left, steal your happiness either.  Be your own filter – and be happy.