In whatever sense this is a New Year for you, may the moment find you eager and unafraid, ready to take it by the hand with joy and with gratitude.
‑‑ Howard Thurman

Almost a week into the new year and your resolutions still wear their bright and optimistic sparkle. Oh the things we’ve set out to do or do differently this year, a Leap Year nonetheless! Some of us will shoot for the customary goal of shedding unwanted pounds; others of us will strive to save more and spend less; and still others of us will attempt to rid ourselves of those terrible habits and tendencies we’ve involuntarily adopted. While all noble and reasonable proposals, and certainly with a chunk of disciple achievable, the bigger consideration is the posture with which you will undertake the commitments you’ve set.

Yes, a resolution is a commitment, a commitment you make to yourself. And in order to remain true to those promises and not renege on your efforts at self-improvement, the attitude and manner in which you fulfill those resolutions, the spirit and temperament by which you go about making the changes you’ve slated, all have a bearing on whether you meet and exceed your goals or get burned out before Fat Tuesday and the Lenten season of fasting, moderation, and discipline begin a month from now.

Honestly, it is pure drudgery to start going to the gym or pushing back from the table when you haven’t done either since who knows when. And it’s very hard to save money when you hardly make any in the first place and need every dime to simply make it to the next payday. And the way you bite at the inside of your cheek and pick at the rough, calloused skin on your feet most of the time seems comforting, or at the very least, non-obstructive – until you draw blood. But if you want change, the kind of change that you can directly affect, you have no choice but to do that which you’ve charged yourself with. And t’ git ‘er done, you must do so with all the grit, gusto, and chutzpah you can possibly manage!

Imagine not only how your body will look after you’ve exercised away the ham from your thighs, the chitterlings from your chin, and sweet potato pies off your butt, think about how your body will feel! No more sluggish arteries or bowels; no more racing heart just because you walked to the other side of the room; no more aching joints because of the excess crowded fatty tissue that suffocates and retards their movements.

And imagine that you’ve managed to scare up a respectable savings even after paying your bills and maintaining your home life, enough to invest and grow or give away to someone or something else that needs a little help. Imagine your mouth now kissable and your feet now presentable for the general public. Imagine them no longer aching because of the brittleness you unconsciously placed up on them when you bit and picked.

All this and more is possible if you just grab the reins and go where you said you would with enthusiasm, anticipation, and determination. A bit of passion about the thing and a whole lot of love for yourself wouldn’t hurt either! Whether you have to fake it until you make it, anything is possible when you give it all you got. And this year, you’ve got 366 days in which to do it!

Peace and blessings!
Sadiqqa © 2008