New Year, New You.

How often do we see or hear that phrase at the beginning of the new year? Admittedly, it is rather catchy, but will it make up for the past year's worth of regrettable choices? I rather doubt it. I've heard that people who declare their New Year's resolutions start out only to fail within a short time. I know that to be true personally. So I solved that problem simply by not making resolutions. Let's just say I resolved not to make any more resolutions, and I have kept that one. I think there's a better way of going about it. There's nothing wrong with being self-disciplined; that's a good character trait. But let's say you've decided to stop eating sugar. There's a lot of talk about that going around. If you're told you can't have something, what happens? It's the one thing you want.

So, here's what I've concluded.

In terms of sugar, for example, I was raised on the stuff. It was the "drug" of choice of my childhood that my babysitters used to distract and placate me when my mother dropped me off. Truth is, I'd rather have been with Mom. But out came the candies, the cake, cookies ad infinitum. My well-meaning sitter perhaps found it to work with other kids or perhaps it was used on herself as a child. She certainly was of ample proportion.

I believe we are better motivated through positive goals and reinforcement. During my third pregnancy, I eliminated all sugar, having just read a book called Sugar Blues by William Dufty, so I know that it can be done because I did it. However, a baby shower was planned and there was no way I could graciously back out of eating one small slice of cake, was there? I guessed not; it was made by a good friend. I figured a little bit wasn't going to hurt. On the way back home riding with my mother, I became emotional and started crying. I didn't know why. I'd just been "showered" with the company of family and friends, gifts for the baby and what any reasonable person would say was an enjoyable time. Yes, hormones could have played a part in it and maybe I was kind of tired but I chose to narrow it down to sugar. Just like what often happens with children, their systems can't tolerate it – at least not much of it, and that cake - for me - was too much.

So I believe that when a change is called for, slower is better than immediate or rapidly, except in the case of actual drugs or other dangerous addictions that could at any moment hurt you or others. As for dangerous drugs, that's not a mind over matter type of thing. See a professional; the sooner the better.

With regular garden variety habits, define what you want to accomplish and then plan to do one item at a time. Research has shown that it takes 21 days to establish a new habit. I've personally found it to be true that the longer you do something, the easier it becomes. I made one huge(for me) dietary change over the course of 2017. I began in January, logically, and I kept up with it until the holidays. It was not a life or death choice one way or the other, just a preference. But the thing is it proved that I could do it – way beyond the 21 days. It had become a habit!

I have to say that I believe that life was meant to be enjoyed – not exclusively – but there is need for balance, not all strict disciplines. Unfortunately, for some people, life is a competition not only with others but also themselves. For example, how much can I challenge myself, push myself? There is such a thing as balance, so I'd recommend using wisdom. I used to think that with all the health tips received via television shows, the internet and email newsletters that a person would drive him- or herself crazy trying to implement them all. Many have merit, but to become a slave to the latest knowledge on a particular food or group of foods well, let me put it this way our parents didn't have knowledge of these particular things and yet many lived to a ripe old age.

I remember my father remarking to my mother that cured meats didn't agree with him if he ate too many. He claimed that nitrates had the job of helping to preserve the meat, thus discouraging any bacterial growth, but he added that it also would not be helpful to any good bacteria in the digestive system. How he knew about good bacteria, I don't know; but he had it right. He also claimed that eating cartilage around beef joint bones (cooked, of course), would help with arthritis issues. I believe that it has been found to have some basis in fact. So maybe a lot of things that are done today, especially from a dietary perspective were just common sense to some people years ago.

It should be noted that in order to make my point in what I've written, I didn't use bullets to say what I needed to or enumerate five steps or some program that guarantees success. To live by a strict regimen outlined by bullets or points can become very tedious and wearying. It may be that you just think you should change areas of your life. So, first ask yourself do you really want to be a "New You"? Perhaps check with those who know you well and take their answers into consideration. You are who you are and maybe it's who you are meant to be. But if you check with a friend regarding weight issues and that person says: "You look great! Don't do a thing," but your doctor recommends you drop a few pounds, whose advice will you ultimately consider?

For any internal changes – not physical – I'd recommend calling on Dr. God, or more specifically His Son, and then allow the spiritual surgeon, the Holy Spirit take care of that. The physical, though important, is the outward manifestation of that "vehicle" for what transports the real you around in this life. For any concern, physical or spiritual consider this advice from the Good Book: "Cast all your anxieties on him, for he cares for you." I Peter 5:7 (RSV). The thing is, we need to discern what is important in our lives and to our lives. We want to know that as we approach our twilight years, that we've lived our life as well as we can, and accomplished what we've felt we're meant to. It doesn't have to be at the beginning of each new year; it can be any time. The main thing is we should be satisfied with our goals (one at a time and not impossible to reach) that we've set to ensure a future that is both productive and enjoyable. What will that goal be for you?