I can’t honestly remember the last New Year’s resolution I made.
If I have made one in the past, I’m pretty sure I would have broken it before January ended!
I’m not a big fan of resolutions because the one’s we set for ourselves tend to be unrealistic and too difficult to stick to.
A year ago, a friend of mine did go a whole year without drinking alcohol.
Now that is hard-core!
There’s no way I could (or would want to) abstain from alcohol for a whole year.
However I’m pretty sure I could manage a month.
Dry January has become quite a popular new year’s resolution, so I thought I’d give it a go myself.
December was quite a boozy month for me and I got totally wasted on New Year’s Eve!
So it was an easy decision to make on 1 January while I lay in bed with the mother of all hangovers.
Fast forward 2 weeks and I’m still off the booze and going strong.
I’ve had 2 tests so far:
1. A night out with the boys
2. Attending a football match (I always enjoy a couple of pints before a game)
The first one I decided to boycott the night altogether as it is so difficult to drink soft drinks all evening when your mates are downing their favourite beers.
Not drinking before watching the football was tricky (especially as it helps numb the pain when my team loses!)
I had a cup of tea and a diet coke instead!
I’m also partial (once or twice a week) to the odd glass of red wine during my evening meal.
This has been easier to avoid, mainly because my wife is doing dry(ish) January as well, and she also enjoys a glass of red some evenings.
So 2 weeks in and I’m doing okay.
I’ll update this post at the start of February to let you know how it went etc.
New Monthly Challenges
This Dry January thing has lead me to thinking what other monthly challenges I could do.
I’ve decided to create a list of possibilities for February:
Possible Challenges:
1. Read for 15 minutes – 5 days a week
2. A month without eating milk chocolate
3. Exercise 5 days a week
4. 100 press ups a day
5. No Facebook
6. No phone games
7. 30 minutes a day learning a new language
8. 30 minutes a day writing / working on my online businesses
9. Cooking 1 new recipe a week
10. Stretching for 10 minutes a day
11. Going to the gym at least twice a week
12. Visualisation for 10 mins – 5 days a week
13. Plan every meal – Mon to Fri
14. Lemon water challenge
15. Yoga 3 times a week
I’ve not committed to doing one yet, but I think it would be a good monthly habit to get into.
None of the challenges are too difficult, but will require at least some degree of dedication, and will make my life better.
I might benefit/enjoy so much from doing one of these challenges that I continue to do it.
Anyone else on a new year’s resolution or simply a lifestyle change/challenge?
Peter
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