And yada yada yada, while I’m at it.
There’s this surge of “I’M CHANGING EVERYTHING!!!” attitude that seems to permeate all forms of media this time of year. I suppose with my resolutions and whatnot, I’m no different (except that I am … I’m a special flower, remember?).
The well-known thing about resolutions, though, is that they don’t stick. Depending on what pop-culture article you read, anywhere from 90% to 95% of the resoluters (it’s a word) will abandon their plans to make their lives the most awesomest (this is a word too) thing ever by around March 1st. But sometimes — at least 5% to 10% of the people can attest to this — those changes last. They become just a part of life. A more awesome life, for sure, but just a part of life. Habit. Old hat. Another one of those things like walking or driving that you don’t even think about, you just do it unconsciously.
So what’s the difference? Why does it work sometimes and not other times? Or with some people and not others? Hell if I know. Who do you think I am? Some sort of sciency, wisdomy scholar type? I think not.
But here’s my theory: I think that for every habit you want to break or change or adopt, there’s some internal wall your brain has got to hit that forces the response of “no more — things need to be different now”. Some might call it “hitting rock bottom” but I don’t think it’s nearly that dramatic (although, I suppose it can be). I think it’s possible that people might not even recognize the moment when it happens and can only pinpoint it in retrospect. But there’s something — some seed inside you that takes root instead of getting blown away by the next distraction to come along (“cookie!”).
The saying, fall eight times, get up nine (I’m too lazy to look up who to attribute this to … someone like Buddha or Confucius or Martha Stewart) — that’s what this is about, though. Knowing that there’s going to be that one time that you throw it against the wall and like pasta that’s done just right, it’ll stick and not move.
I suppose that’s what I’m trying to say: just keep at it. Try different techniques. Think through different reasons. Surround yourself with different people to support you. Because I can assure you, there is nothing that you can’t change. It might take time and many failures, but if you keep at it, you’ll get there. I don’t know where I’ll end up with my own resolutions, but you can bet that I’m ready to fall and get back up. Again and again.
