New Year’s Restitution (sic)

As I made my way down to the YMCA this morning for my first workout of the year, I was expecting to see a lot of New Year’s Resolutioners floundering about aimlessly through the rows of fitness equipment as they attempt to make up for an entire year (or years) of poor lifestyle choices in a single bound. Other than observing a few portly patrons whom I did not recognize, my expectations were not realized. I communicated this dilemma with the desk attendant who indicated to me that those above-mentioned folks will indeed be arriving….just not until later into the month, or even next month as has been demonstrated in previous years.

 It then occurred to me that these are not the kind of people who grab the bull by the horns and get started at something at the earliest possible moment. They are procrastinators by nature which is why they feel the need to engage in such unsustainable balderdash, such as making New Year resolutions, in the first place. I could never see any merit in assigning an arbitrary date to one’s desire to improve some area of their life. I realize that the first day of a new year is significant insofar as the changes one must make when writing cheques, and other such fare, but I contend that it is insignificant in all other respects. Why not just start doing something as soon as you get the idea to do it? Why put things on hold until your calendar is in the garbage? If you must associate a date with some new initiative or project, at least make it a date that is personally meaningful to you, such as the day you broke off an unhealthy relationship, or the day a loved one dies, or the day of the birth of a child?

But just as Christmas is the golden season for retailers…The New Year is a time of prosperity for everyone who works in the health and fitness industry, ranging from personal trainers, to those selling workout equipment and nutritional products. Who am I to criticize?

JMR