Here we are again, ready to move on to another year.
It’s that time for leaving regrets behind. You know the drill: starting fresh, making resolutions, creating lists, choosing a word for the year, etc. We all want to take advantage of the turn of the calendar to give us incentive. To change things up. To do better, be better, look better.
Maybe THIS is the year for success!
But is it possible to make lasting changes?
I say it depends.
Breaking old habits is hard. Acquiring new ones is difficult.
But it doesn’t have to be.
On New Year’s Day 2024, I made a change I didn’t speak about publicly. It didn’t seem like anything to be announced, but it was actually a big deal to me.
I discovered my cholesterol was in the high-risk zone. I’d gained a few pounds and wasn’t eating as best I could, so I guess it shouldn’t have surprised me. But it did.
My doctor wanted to put me on medication, but I declined. “Let me try to make changes in my diet, to see if it helps”, I told her. “If not, I’ll go on the meds.”
She agreed to a three-month trial period on that one, but I could sense her skepticism. In 90 days, I’d have my lab work repeated.
I thought the change would be hard. Having a history of eating disorders makes everything surrounding food a challenge. But I was committed to making whatever changes were necessary. After all, I have a granddaughter now and I want to see her grow up.
First up, I had to educate myself a little better than I had in the past.
Ultimately, I opted for a predominantly plant-based diet. And guess what? My cholesterol went down dramatically as did my weight. No meds!
And… along the way my husband decided to join in with me. Win/win!
No, I’m not a vegan, though most of the recipes we use are vegan. I seriously don’t like labels. I stopped eating meat with the exception of fish. I do drink some milk but eat way less cheese than in the past. (Just for the record, cheese IS my favorite food!) Vegetables top the list, fruits also in abundance, and there are lots of ways to get protein without meat.
Let me just say it’s been an exciting adventure this year. You can find so many great recipes online. Instagram has many vegan and vegetarian groups with tons of recipes and videos. There are lots of wonderful cookbooks available.
You might want to give it a try.
Anyway, before this all gets too boring, back to the question. Can we seriously make lasting changes in our lives?
I give that an emphatic YES.
But it all comes down to this.
The decision.
Making a firm decision is key to your success, whatever it is you want to do. Don’t leave room for failure. Just decide you’re going to do it and do it. Period.
My hope for you in this new year ahead, is that you’ll commit to whatever it is you want and feel a renewed sense of accomplishment as 2025 progresses.
Take a chance. Make a change. You won’t regret it.
After all, people are at their happiest when they’re learning and growing.
What is it you’d like to do this coming year? Feel free to share! I’d love to hear all about it.
Happy New Year!
Love,
Carolyn
