Docpaul Medical Minute - Quarterly Newsletter
Overview of timely Seasonal Medical subjects
Successful New
Year’s Resolutions Start in the Mind
The first of the
year rings in another opportunity to set a New Year’s resolution. For many, sticking
to a resolution can be a breeze in the beginning, but as the year progresses,
it becomes harder and harder to stay committed. It doesn’t have to be that way.
Dr. Paul Ehrmann, DO, an osteopathic Family Practitioner from
Royal Oak, Michigan outlines how to set a realistic
resolution and stick to it by mentally preparing yourself.
“People who are unsuccessful in keeping a New
Year’s Resolution often have problems identifying what they see as their final
result,” says Dr. Ehrmann. “People might resolve to lose weight, keep a clean
house, or spend more time with their children, but they don’t put their goals
into concrete, realistic terms, such as losing 10 pounds, cleaning the house
every other Sunday, or spending an hour a night playing a game or doing homework
with their children. This lack of specificity can quickly lead to a failed
resolution.”
To break the
cycle of setting up then giving up on a New Year’s resolution, Dr. Ehrmann outlines
some tips for developing a realistic resolution and staying mentally strong all
year long:
1. Define Your Goal. Develop a time frame for your
goal, with smaller goals to achieve along the way. For example, a goal of
working out for 30 minutes every day should start with a small step such as 15
minutes every other day to work your way up to your goal. “When you are
specific about what steps it will take to get you to your overall goal, your resolution
will become easier to achieve,” says Dr. Ehrmann. “Make sure you can commit to
the goal in the timeframe you give yourself.”
2. Have mental toughness. Not every day
is going to be easy. Knowing this ahead of time will prepare you for when you
are tempted to break your resolution. “Have the power to keep moving towards
your goal, no matter what setbacks may occur. When the going gets tough, get
tougher,” says Dr. Ehrmann.
3. Think positive. Thinking positively is a great
trick when it comes to overcoming a bad habit, according to Dr. Ehrmann.
“The voice inside your head needs to be thinking positive thoughts. Your own words
of encouragement can eliminate self doubt and will help when it’s tempting to fall
back into old patterns.” He says.
4. Be patient. Permanently changing your behavior can
take months. You need to make a conscious effort to stay on track through the
long process. “It takes more than just a physical action; mentally prepare
yourself by accepting that it will take time to change,” says Dr. Ehrmann.
5. Forward thinking. “Identify what went wrong in
previous failed attempts at resolutions and then move on,” says Dr. Ehrmann.
Don’t focus on what you have done in the past, only what you want
to have in the future. “Picture what you want your end result to be. The
feeling of future success should lead you forward,” Dr. Ehrmann says.
6. Choose not to fail. “No one but you
can make your resolution happen,” says Dr. Ehrmann. Choose not to let mistakes
derail you, take a day off every once in a while, power through the tough
times, and see your end result. “When you make the decision to succeed, you
leave no room to fail,” he says
Keeping track of
a resolution all year long can be difficult, but only if you let it. “Keep
positive to enforce your positive change,” says Dr. Ehrmann. Use these tips as
tools to keep you on track to a successful resolution. “The important thing is
to remember that successfully changing your behavior comes from the inside out.
Accept that it will take small steps in the right direction to have a positive
outcome,” he concludes.
Preventive
medicine is just one aspect of care osteopathic physicians provide. DOs are
fully licensed to prescribe medicine and practice in all specialty areas,
including surgery. DOs are trained to consider the health of the whole person
and use their hands to help diagnose and treat their patients.
In good Health,
Paul R. Ehrmann, D.O.
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