As you know, the New Year will be upon us in a matter of hours. In fact, it's probably only an hour or so away for some of you, especially those of you from New Zealand and nearby areas, where it's already 11P.M. at the time of writing this.
Not quite that late here as yet, it's around 5:30 P.M. here. And it's a great time for - you guessed it - some introspection on how the year has gone by, and how the New Year is going to pan out.
Notice I don't know "how you think the New Year is going to pan out" - I say "how the New Year is going to pan out". And that's more than just adding in two words - I believe that WE make our destiny to a large degree, and so whether or not the New Year is a roaring success or tepid failure for you is really up to YOU, my friend (again, to a large extent).
Be positive, and look ahead to the upcoming year with optimism, hope and positivity - - and chances are the same vibes will flow back into YOUR life. Other hand, look ahead to the New Year with trepidation, worries about the economy, or just a bleak outlook in general, and chances are 2014 won't exactly be the best year for you either. And that holds true both in terms of life, and fitness as well, my friend.
Note that this doesn't mean you ignore practical realities - not at all - but sometimes, a healthy dose of measured optimism is just what the doctor ordered in many cases.
It has been said that an optimist stays up until midnight to ring the New Year in, and a pessimist stays up until the same time to bid a teary farewell to the old year - which one are YOU?
Anyway, 'nuff said on that one. Back to introspection - a lot of you are probably getting ready to go out and celebrate the New Year in style and that's fine - but a little time spent tabulating your goals and reviewing where you are (in terms of life) in general will work wonders for you in the New Year.
For instance, you might have set a goal to drop 40 pounds this year - did you make it? If not, why not?
Or some of you might be looking to get that raise, but cannot no matter how hard you try - why not?
You get the picture - sit back with your beverage of choice and a piece of paper, and simply think - and jot down the points that appear in your mind.
Along with those points, jot down your GOALS (concrete goals), and also the ACTIONS you are willing to take to achieve those goals.
This should really you take you no more than 15 minutes or so - if it is, your doing something wrong.
And that's it - just make sure you keep that piece of paper with you, and look at it come midnight with a POSITIVE mindset.
Go to bed, wake up the next morning - and start to put your PLANS in ACTION - and watch the year whiz by so rapidly you won't even know it's come and gone. And chances are you'll be pretty happy with what you accomplish as well.
As for this cat, well, my routine today wasn't really any different from what it's been like the last couple of weeks, really. I don't have any plans of going out and ringing in the New Year "in style" (though there's nothing wrong with doing so to be honest) - it'll probably be a quiet evening as usual spent talking to my baby girl (who has a case of the sniffles) as well as Mommy. And then bed as usual.
One of my goals for next year is to get in a hill climb DAILY, without fail (at least ONE hill climb) - as in, a minimum of 365 hard slogs up the hill, more if possible (and it should be very possible). No "rest", no "days off", no breaks, nothing (unless I really, really need it due to reasons beyond my control) - just hard exercise EVERY DAY of 2014. Not really all that different from what I did in 2013, but there it is - thats one of my goals.
Make that one of YOUR goals (replace the hill climb with whatever you prefer, of course) - and you'll be surprised at just how fit you are come 2015.
OK - enough for now! To all readers of this blog, or those who "chanced" upon this post - or just everyone, in general, really - have a very happy, prosperous and safe 2014 - and make it the best year yet!
Very best,
Rahul and family
P.S.: - My new course on pull-ups is disappearing off the shelves like hot cakes - make sure to grab your copy HERE: - http://rahulmookerjee.com/index.php/articles/88-getting-better-at-pull-ups-from-dud-to-stud-within-a-matter-of-weeks.