The presents have been unwrapped, turkey eaten, relatives visited and the tasteless sweater that Great Aunt Maude gave you has been consigned to the back of the closet. Phew… what’s next? Yes, it’s the countdown to New Year- possibly the most over rated holiday known to mankind.

Everyone wants to know what your plans are: eating out at a fancy, overbooked restaurant? Heading out to sample the nightlife? Or perhaps you’ll be partying with friends and relatives. Whatever your plans, there is the added expectation of the all important New Year resolutions. Do you make them? More importantly, do you keep them?

The main reason people make resolutions is to change something about themselves, or their lifestyle that they either don’t like, or think they shouldn’t like. Apparently the most popular resolutions are to lose weight, or to improve health in some way. I think we’d all agree that these are admirable and important changes, but, what we are really saying, is that there is something wrong with us, we are not good enough, we don’t like an aspect of our self, and think we should be more like someone else. Instead of allowing this negative state of mind, maybe we should love ourselves a little more and be kinder to ourselves.  After all, a promise that you will treat your body well, by giving it healthy foods and exercise so that it can work properly and efficiently is more likely to be successful than telling yourself that you are not as good as Perky Pam next door because you take a larger dress size than she does.

Be kind to yourself. Love yourself and your body, and if you do that, you will want to treat it well and those negative thoughts will be replaced by the question we should all  ask every day.. What can I do today to show my body that I love and value it?

“When you consider yourself valuable, you will take care of yourself in all ways that are necessary”. -M. Scott Peck