It’s not too late to make and keep your resolutions

Question: If you have not yet started one of your New Year’s resolutions, does that mean you have broken it already?
One of my resolutions was to exercise regularly. I haven’t started yet. I still plan to; I just haven’t made the time. Not only do I want to lose a lot of weight, but I want to become physically fit as well. The only real step toward that goal that I’ve made so far is to write down the goal and to download a calorie counting app onto my phone.
Writing things down is another of my goals, and so far I’m keeping up with it. I began to journal on Jan. 1 and so far have not missed a day. Of course, at the time of this writing we are only four days into the year, but still…
I realize that these two goals are vitally important if I want to have a successful and prosperous year. More than just the year, make that for life. In the last several years I have listened to audiobooks written by some of the world’s leading self-help and personal success gurus. I have listened to, implemented and ignored a lot of good advice.
Numerous authors have pointed out the importance of writing things down. Journaling has regularly been one of their top suggestions, followed by leaving yourself reminders and notes of inspiration and motivation. I have long ignored this advice because it takes precious time out of my day to journal and because these same gurus tell us not to dwell on the past but to be in the present and to plan ahead. Journaling to me was always looking back and thus a waste of time.
Still, I could not help but notice that the advice to journal kept cropping up across the board from a wide variety of experts. Why is that? What’s so important about keeping a journal?
Apparently when we journal, even writing down a few lines a day helps our brains process what we have experienced. It helps clarify and classify what is important to us. It also helps reduce pressure on our faulty memory. One of the advantages I have of being a columnist is a preserved record of my writings. In a way, it serves as a journal of sorts.
Whenever I look back at some of my old columns I am reminded of just how much I do forget and how far I’ve come in my personal and professional life. Those periodic looks back at previous works are a vivid reminder that I really have accomplished a lot in my career and that my life hasn’t been wasted. Sometimes it reminds me of things I still want to do.
I’ve also been forcing myself to take the time to finish writing the book I started last year. Although it’s a photo book, there is still a great deal of writing to do and it has been easy to neglect that part. Writing a book has been one of my top goals for the past 30 years and it’s time to put up or shut up. It amazes me how much writing I can get done when I set aside a block of time, turn off Facebook and other distractions and just get to it.
Publishing the book is a top priority for me this year. If I can get it done soon enough, I have another book project that can be completed by the end of the year, giving me two books finished in one year. For my own sanity, that really needs to happen.
Unfortunately, writing books and working as a newspaper editor requires an enormous amount of time sitting in front of a computer. That is not conducive to an active lifestyle or doing anything to promote healthy eating and physical fitness. That brings me back to my goal of eating less and starting to exercise.
It really doesn’t matter what I accomplish with pen to paper if I neglect my body and it fails me. I’ve learned that physical activity stimulates the mind and body and gives you more energy. I need that. You need that.
Even though I have not started exercising yet, I will not look upon that as a failure of my resolution but instead a delayed start. With that in mind, I think I will stop writing now and go for a walk. Care to join me?