“This year is my year.” 

We’ve all made that statement at some point in our life. 

 We’re businessmen and women, graduates and goal setters! We’re fundamentally ingrained to focus on the positive, set the standards and plan for the future…. All things we tell ourselves to do in our daily meetings and conferences. 

THEN YOU THINK ABOUT LAST YEAR

Last year’s resolution was to cut out all carbohydrates from your diet, find time in your crazy schedule to work out, and lose those extra 30 pounds. 

Fast-forward to this year and most of you are probably looking in the mirror and are realizing this didn’t happen like you planned at all. 

NOTHING CHANGED 

Sure, you may have gone a few weeks or even a month of consistent exercise and clean eating, but then something happened. 

 When you made the decision to finally change your Netflix-crazed lifestyle (I’m talking to you Orange is the New Black and Daredevil fans…and don’t worry I’m guilty too), you did all of the abdominal workouts, juice cleanses and 10-day detoxes you could get your hands on. 

 Every day was about work, going to the gym, feeding the family, finishing late night emails and then doing it all over again. It felt great for a little bit but slowly you began to skip a workout or two. No harm… until you decided to skip just one more because you were a little tired and then finally, you just stopped going altogether. 

WHAT HAPPENED? LIFE GOT IN THE WAY 

Most of us aren’t going to quit the job that pays the bills, so we quit working out. We stop exercising and eating right because we think we don’t have the time to dedicate ourselves to it anymore. 

I understand, I truly do. I even remember that feeling of not exercising after work and thinking to myself, “This is so relaxing. Now look at all this time I have!” 

You know what really happened? I sat on the couch and looked at Facebook and Twitter. Hours wasted to social media and it was so easy to do! I barely noticed the time slipping by and at the end of the day I accomplished nothing. 

Skipping that one 60-minute session led to hours of laziness and idleness. 

What most people tend to forget is that one hour at the gym was your daily therapy session. It was your stress reliever and your moment to unwind. It was the reason you had the energy to get up and play with your kids. That one workout was the reason you rocked your presentation at work because you were stress-free and at ease. 

That hour of productivity and hard work set your standards for the rest of the day. 

 We also forget the amazing feeling of conquering those miles on the treadmill (props to you cardio gurus) or hitting a new PR on the bench…. and that feeling follows you home and in your career. 

You know the health benefits of working out and eating clean. Not only will 60 minutes of exercise each day shred pounds and inches; it will give you a sense of accomplishment, a clear and positive mindset and the added energy to tackle everyday tasks at the office and at home. 

You can make this “your year.”