It’s Day 3 of 2012. How are you doing with your goals and resolutions? Still keeping strong, I bet. But you may be thinking, um, exactly how many days are left this year? 362 to be exact. (And then, of course, hopefully you’ll continue your better habits into next year.) Yup, that sounds daunting at first, but here’s the trick: you have to live in each day individually, and take one day at a time. Instead of thinking about how many months and days there are ahead of you, and believing your life will never be the same again (without coffee, with this new exercise thing, etc. etc.), concentrate instead on how amazing it feels at the end of a day when you did what you set out to do.

For example, let’s say you resolved to avoid chips this year. Rather than fantasizing about all the parties and gatherings coming up this year when you can indulge, and then quickly having your anticipation plummet when you realize that you actually WON’T be indulging (*tear*), focus on how proud you are of yourself that you got through one whole day without giving in to the temptation. Wow, that was a long sentence. But I hope you get the point.

So let’s all pat ourselves on the back for making it this far… because three days is a huge accomplishment when you’re taking one day at a time. Go, you!

One more New Years resolution “trap,” if you will, is believing that it has to be all or nothing. Too many people fall victim to the notion that if they go off-course for a day or two (like, say, you consume a bag of chips…oops), that they’ve destroyed their chances of accomplishing anything, and they ultimately give up. My friends, don’t be discouraged! If you fall off that horse, you just hop right back on! (and heck, enjoy it while you’re down and out and eating those chips.) The point is, you don’t have to be Mr. or Mrs. Perfect all the time. Puh-leaze… who wants perfection? Boooring! Just pick yourself right back up and continue from where you left off.

You are awesome and I encourage you to keep on truckin’… you can and will succeed in all of the goals you have set for yourself if you carry the right attitude. Don’t ever forget that.