Resolutions: Perspective + Self-Care

By: Debbie Stiller, Body Zone Director of Wellness and Aquatics

With a new year upon us, I like so many of you, I am sure, are reflecting on your life and thinking about what 2018 will bring. Over the years I have made resolutions for the future which never came to be. I almost always came to the conclusion that something was wrong with me: I was either not trying hard enough, was not capable, worthy, good enough etc. Even when I made good on some resolutions/goals I felt as if I failed since my life was still not what I had hope for.

As many of you who know me are aware, I struggled with a serious eating disorder for more than 20 years of my life and most of my New Year’s resolutions revolved around a number on a scale. I looked to that number to determine my worth, value and place in the world. I thought that if only I could find that perfect number then everything else in my life would be perfect! What I realize today is that my perspective was all wrong. So much of our actions come from our internal perspective which is what propels us to make the decisions we make on a daily basis. What is so encouraging is that WE have the ability to choose what it is we focus on – our perspective!

So if you are thinking about making resolutions this year, you may want to come from a place of self-care and making choices for yourself that bring you feelings of joy and well-being.

Paying attention to things like how your body feels after a good night sleep, how you feel after eating a bowl of oatmeal and fruit for breakfast versus how your body feels after eating a donut, how your body feels after a day of sitting in front of the computer all day versus a day where you took a break and moved your body for an hour.

Make a resolution of self-care. Make a resolution to surround yourself with supportive people. Make a resolution to be kind to others and yourself. Make a resolution to look at what you do have in your life versus looking at what you don’t have. Make a resolution to be as present as possible in each moment and make a resolution to find joy in each day. Just do it for TODAY. You do not need to make these decisions for your lifetime, just for one day at a time!

I wish all of you the perspective you need to see your own value and the knowledge you, like me, are worthy of self-love and self-care!