“A New Year, A New You”

BY: STEVE AVELLINO GYM DIRECTOR
To begin, I would like to wish all of you, a very happy, healthy and blessed New Year.
(It’s funny, though.)
You would almost expect at this point that I would begin a discussion about New Year’s resolutions. You could probably imagine that I would begin by inviting you back to the gym and urging you to make promises to yourself to participate in regular exercise two or three times a week (based on your doctor’s OK).
Then I would go on and on about eating right, advising you to incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables into your diet, along with several side orders of dietary fiber. If I had enough space on the page, I might even tell you to make sure you’re getting enough sleep and taking your vitamins.
Now all of this seems a very logical train of thought from a “gym guy.” After all, New Year’s resolutions were created for those of us in the fitness industry. But here’s the problem…
The ball drops…it’s January 1…everyone’s exercising…the next thing you know….it’s March 8, your exercise plan is in the rear view mirror, and your gym clothes are in a drawer buried underneath your snow pants.
Year after year, people start to make changes in their lives, and then abandon them in a matter of weeks. We blame it on a lack of time, a lack of money, or even a lack of energy. The truth is that it’s all about a lack of priority. We simply refuse to take better care of ourselves.
Once we begin to love ourselves, and I mean really love ourselves in an unconditional way, adapting a healthy life-style will become second nature. Sure, we may struggle from time to time, but losing our way along the journey is to be expected.
The intention doesn’t light the flame here. It’s the conscious effort and continual emphasis on self-acceptance and healing that will lead us all to the road of “good habits.” A person who is ready to heal their body, mind and spirit, will do whatever it takes to heal their body, mind and spirit. Commitment and determination can only exist if we believe it is necessary.
Oprah can’t get you to go on a diet. The women on “The View” can’t get you join a gym. Your neighbors and friends can’t force you to get eight hours sleep. In short, society can’t hold your hand in the grocery store, or tie up the laces on your sneakers.
It all has to come from you!!!
Taking personal responsibility is indeed the key to initiating positive changes in our lives. Everyday, we rise from bed, and go about our business. We know what we are doing to help ourselves, and we know what we are doing to hurt ourselves. Once we decide to heal the areas of our lives which need healing, we will instinctively make better choices.
At that point, taking time to exercise, eat right and get enough sleep will be as natural to us as knowing who we are and what we need.
I truly hope that each of you can create a 2008 that will help you to flourish in your own lives. I hope that each of us, (including this gym guy), can experience a self love which begins to open us up to a lifetime of peace, healing and joy.
Salute!!!