New Year’s resolutions seem to be a source of contention among many; why wait for the next year when you can make a change now? And so the argument goes. But the feeling of turning over a new leaf and starting fresh cannot be denied, making resolutions damn near irresistible. However, this year is special. The start of 2014 welcomes the end of cannabis prohibition, and even more importantly, marks a shift in thinking within the United States. Our understanding of cannabis is growing exponentially, proliferating tolerance across generational divides and redefining our drug policy. We are a part of an intellectual revolution, which our resolutions should reflect!
At Leafly we talk a lot about elevating the cannabis conversation — moving beyond the confines of the stereotypical pot culture. We think the same can be done for resolutions. Don’t limit yourself to the typical ‘get fit’ or ‘drink less alcohol’; make no mistake, those are great goals and should absolutely be a part of your game plan if you so choose. But you can do better!
This year we pay tribute to our heads and our hearts. As cannabis connoisseurs, you are likely familiar with the power of the mind — you are what you think about. There’s a line of thought that supports that all things physical are merely a reflection of your unique perspective; your body is an effect of your mind. You want to get fit? A new gym membership may not be your answer.
For the month of January, all of us at Leafly are committing to improving our health and wellness and would love if you joined us. Each day we will take a different initiative to better our mental and physical health. Most of them are small, sometimes only constituting 5 minutes of reflective thinking. Some of them may provide instant gratification, but many will likely work slowly and silently in the deep recesses. After all, buttressing the mind is an invisible journey that you’ll only ever realize when you look back on how far you’ve come.
To kick things off on Day 1, we are gearing up mentally by crafting our long-term resolutions. Whatever your objectives, we think there are a couple key points to setting yourself up for success:
- Narrow your focus. It’s tempting to want to tackle all the problem areas in your life, but resist. When you spread yourself too thin, failure become inevitable, which will only discourage you and risk the ever-paramount “I throw my hands in the air” to all your ambitious rezzies. Resist!
- Quantify and be concrete. If you can tie hard numbers to your goals, there’s no wishy-washy, harebrained wiggle room. Does drink less alcohol mean just not on Tuesdays? While buying a new gym membership may help you get fit, committing to working out 3 days a week for an hour each time guarantees it.
- Be realistic. Nothing says failure like obscene goals. Don’t let this crush your hopes and dreams, but be reasonable. If necessary, do a little research. Before swearing off meat, you’ll want to know how much time and money it’ll take to feed yourself — starvation is a quick route to forgetting all about your resolution.
Let’s step out in 2014 headfirst. What say you?
photo credit: BazaarBizarreSF via photopincc
