New Year and Resolutions !

“I am starting on a diet, to reduce my weight”
“I am going to hit the gym, from this Jan 1st”
“I am going to stop smoking / drinking / etc…”

As New Year approaches, these are some of the statements, I hear, being pronounced by people, spare the mike.  It’s all very good resolutions. Changing for the better is always welcome.  And of course, when done as a group, motivation is quite high and things might work out very well.

But I slightly beg to differ in regard to these resolutions.  For me, the will to change something has to happen from inside and not because of a particular date or the advent of a New Year.  I feel that the day I want to change for the better, I should start implementing it in my lifestyle.

I’ve been wanting to do yoga for sometime now.  Of course, I attended a course and was a regular at the classes for 4 months. So, sort of know the regime and the asanas to do on the 5 days of the week. I am unable to attend class now and I seriously want to do at least pranayamams everyday. There is no internal discipline in me to do this and I am embarrassed about not doing it for the past year.  If I don’t have the will to get up early and spend some time for yoga, how will a New Year or a resolution help me?  I am seriously critical of myself for not doing it and I push myself into doing it everyday. The push has to be there everyday not just on a New Year. What do you say ?

I even took a resolution of not drinking fizzy drinks. First they are too much on the sugar and then the thought “Why can’t I help the local tender coconut water guy to benefit ?” – all these helped me to decide on that resolution.  But what happened ?? I was pushed into a situation, where we were on a long drive and I was absolutely thirsty and no tender coconut water around. To avoid being dehydrated, I had to buy some sugary fizz drink and solve the situation.  I lacked will power that day – my pledging resolution didn’t help me.

But, once I decided to stop drinking tea, I could do it easily, thank God for that strong will power in this regard.  Its been 4 months now and I am not even tempted when I prepare tea for others.

The kind of resolutions associated with dates or New Year never tend to hold on long.  I’ve seen people tell me “From tomorrow I’ll stop eating oily food” – That tomorrow never came !!  It’s always the same statement and same lack of will power to do it immediately.

So, for all the resolutions to work, the key character that should be inside every person is WILL POWER. If such a thing is there in you or if you can cultivate it and make it strong, then any change is a breeze. There is no need to wait for any New Year to make a resolution. Just at the click of the hand, things can change for us – for the better.

Today, sitting here, I pray to God to grant me that will power, with which I can change myself for the better and also make my resolutions to happen !