Resolve to Get Real
Forget about those New Year’s resolutions in which you decide on the first day of January how you will be conducting your life in September, some nine months later. Here’s why: any resolution that involves you making decisions about long-range upcoming behavior reinforces the self-defeating notion of living in the future rather than in the present moment. In fact, you can go about resolving until the cows come home, and you still have to live your life just like everyone else on this planet—ONE DAY AT A TIME. The important questions to be asking yourself are “How am I going to use my present moments this year?” and “Will I waste them in reviewing to myself how I used to behave, or how I would like to behave in the future, rather than resolving to live each day to the fullest?”
What you can do is set up day-to-day goals for yourself, and then resolve to begin living with present moment awareness for the rest of your life. For example, instead of deciding you are going to give up sugar for a year, resolve to go one day without eating sugar. Anyone can do virtually anything if it is for only one day. When you go for one whole day without eating sugar (or any other new behavior), you are a totally different person at the end of that day. Learn to let that totally different person decide on the second day whether he or she wants to do it again on this new day, rather than letting the same old person decide that it is only going to be difficult in a couple of days anyhow, “so what’s the use.” Always let the new you make the decision, and then you’ll be living your present moments.
You know how easy it is to give up on a resolution, and you may have attributed this to some character flaw or personality weakness. Not so! You give up on your resolutions because your mind resists the notion of trying to live your life in long stretches, when it is patently impossible to do so. It is simply a matter of asking yourself at the beginning of the day, “How do I want to conduct my life today?” Then very directly begin to carry out your goals for the day. When you get good at living your present moments one day at a time, you’ll see yourself changing right before your own surprised eyes. Remember, anyone can do anything for just one day, so tune out the sentences that keep you locked into your old self-defeating ways and begin to enjoy each day of your bright new year.
Topics: present moments, Resolutions, self-awareness
I have been living life ODAAT for near 25 years now. I can personally attest that IT WORKS! Thank you for
carrying this message to others.
So inspiring and true! Thanks Sir!
Day one of my new workout routine. Day one of my new food plan. Thanks to your post, Dr. Dyer, I am able to sit with this success and know that tomorrow a new person will wake up and take the reins. I can be content.
Thank you for that.
Hi Dr Dyer, the last two Sundays, early mornings I have listened to The Secrets of an Inspirational Life. Thank you for teaching us all to ‘See’ our world & be ‘in-Spirit’ within the moments of the hours of our lives. Namaste
Thank you Dr. Wayne Dyer for your words of inspiration! I look forward to spending time in your library.
Wonderful! Present day living is Living (the Tao)…by not looking forwards (anticipating the future), backwards (getting hung up on the past), or sideways (comparing ourselves with others) we can all savour the effortless Wu Wei of life. David James Lees
Dear Dr. Wayne Dyer im a 16 yea old kid from dallas texas i have great loveing parents with hearts of gold but they have a struggle with abusing hard drugs they could do such great things if they were able to shake this we listen to your videos and tapes everyday please email if you have time
Dear Dr.Dyer! I’ve got a great feeling about your ideas! I’ve just finished reading The Inspiration book of yours that was my first meeting with the Dr. Dyre’s world and i enjoyed it so very much. I’m so greatful for the feeling I got! Thank you! Have a wonderful New Year!
my dear friend, fully agree with your wonderful writing
best of 2011 for you and your whole family the same for Ram Dass, a big hug for him
namaste
No wonder they call you the father of inspiration/motivation! I truly enjoy this! God Bless You, Dr. Dyer~
In this moment, I thank you for reminding me of this truth.
Dr. Dyer, Oh, how I appreciate you! This is a brilliant piece! Thank you!
I was “blessed” with a particularly difficult 2 year period during which my health, my spiritual heart and my self worth were on a downward spiral. My new philosphy “Don’t worry forward”. My wonderful friend Kay, gave me Excuses Be Gone (CDs) and I listened for the first time last weekend. Thank you-On round two now! God Bless
I just finished listening to 8 CD’s of “Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life” narrated by Wayne Dyer and absolutely LOVED IT! All 81 verses of the Tao te Ching were fascinating! Would love to meet and chat with you–a fellow Michigander! Loved it totally!
I have always made resolutions and yet, year after year, never follow through. Thank you Dr.Dyer….a resolution for a day I can handle. A resolution for a day fills me with happiness whereas a resolution for year fills me with dread and anxiety. Again, thank you for putting this in a perspective I can love and live with.
My resolution is to accomplish more by trying less, but I am taking it one moment at a time.
Thankyou, I have never made resolutions.There was never anything I felt I needed to make a resolution about, thanks for letting me know that I was smart having made that decision.I’ve read books, since”Your Erroneous Zones”. My art teacher was a great influence. You have one of Kay McCullough’s work, from Canada.
You Are A Beam Of Loving Light!!!
Wayne Dyer Is A Beam Of Loving Light!!!
Dear Dr. Wayne! It would be great if your website, videos and films are also available in Russian. In case if you will think of such possibility, please, consider me as a translator/interpreter for that project. I live in Boston, MA.
I just love this man.
Thanks for the inspiration and motivation!
This new year I have committed to setting smaller daily goals, taking smaller steps forward. The daily gratitude in the small changes I make moving through the day is awesome! I am living in the moment. Your words in the article reinforce what I believe to be true. I will make 2011 my personal best… One day at a time!
One step at a time. Just like when i used to run and focused on the block rather than the mile. And now facing an overwhelming change in my life this is just what I needed. A day is doable. I can do a day and then another. Perfect advice, outstanding timing.
Thank you for this! Today I’ve lived with my wonderful vibrant new person. My old person wishes to resurface, but reading your posting has helped me realise that my new vibrant person ALSO wishes very much to resurface.
All we have is the present moment. We cannot change the past. We do not have a future. All we have is the present moment now. The present moment is where we encounter God and our truest selves. Namaste!
Thankyou. I have learned not to put pressure on myself by making resolutions. I’m so glad that I’ve been right to do that. I’ve enjoyed your advise for years & I hope to for many more.
Simple, clear & practical. What a great blog! Thank you. =)
I LOVE this. It makes so much sense. I am actually in the “give up sugar mode” right now and couild not fathom how to do it long term. One day at a time takes the pressure off and allows me to have fresh grace every day. I can also apply that teaching for creating quilts and fabric paintings Each day one creation or part of one at a time.
Thank you Dr. Dyer. In this moment, I am thankful for everything that is present in my life. In this moment, I know that I am love and will share the gift of who I am. In this moment, I will let you know that your teachings have made a difference in my life. Namaste . . .
Thanks for that bolt of insight and the instant paradigm shift.
I just printed off the words, “Stay in the present and let who I am in the moment decide what to do, without the baggage of who I was in the past. ~ Wayne Dyer”.
You’ve given me the profound gift of the much deeper knowledge and understanding of the freedom that I already had.
This is a great reminder of keeping perspective on what success and growth really means, and how to really reap the benefits of what you are doing.
Life is comprised of nomerous moments, and it is our choice to enjoy it by considering the present moment that we are in. It leads us to have a great satisfaction. Do not lose the beauty of night just for waiting for the day after.
How do I want to conduct my life today? That is a very empowering question and what it really is all about. I touched on that in a recent post of mine as I feel resolutions should empower you and some people have lost sight of that.
Thank you Dr. Dyer, you seems to write your blog exactly when I need it the most! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU 🙂
thank u.
Yes you are right long term goals are a waist of time.Better to do it every day so step by step you get what you really want. Thanks for all the inspiration I get from you and can transmit to a lot more.