Tag Archives: chinese new year

The Year of the Dragon: has nothing much to do with my post but it’s Chinese New Year and I thought I’d use it anyway :)

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I can assemble a dining table and chairs, a bed and a child’s three wheeler all by myself but not a bloody fit ball!!!!

I bought a fit ball a few months ago and of course it stayed in the spare room in the box for a while.  Tonight I was going to pump it up so I can use it as a seat to sit at my ironing board (where else?) to use my laptop (I know I know!) 

A few minutes of pumping and voila!  NOT

There were instructions which I read and as I was doing so I also read “Important” which I decided were for when using the ball (but always good for a laugh when translated).    You know what?  I really believe that the “Important” is for when trying to pump up the ball.

  • No, you don’t need to consult a physician before embarking but please DO consult a psychiatrist and obtain all possible drugs to relieve the anxiety and frustration when part A does not even go close to fitting into hole C (no matter which way you try)
  • Wearing lose fitting clothes to keep warm is definitely not needed when it’s summer and the humidity is around 85% however yes, I would like to remove my top and the rest of my scanty clothing before running out naked into the street screaming.
  • Always warm up before – well lucky I did some salutes to the sun from my yoga DVD
  • Ensure all bands, cables clips and screws are well secured – how did the people in the factory in China know about the clips and cables holding my shoulders together?  

Not only can I NOT sit on the ball but it appears that my “buns” will never be toned

Oh well, I suppose that at least one instruction makes sense – “…can also be used in conjunction with dumbbells”.   Apparently these balls “are ideal” for this  – are they referring to me?

By the way, the pump looks suspiciously like something used to ice cakes – hmmmmm…..

Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year everybody.  This is the year of the Water Dragon.  The dragon signifies happiness and success. Tomorrow is also a new moon and that is meant to be a good time to get clear about want you want out of life, ditch the old stuff and start something more positive (yes please, dragon – I would really like to be able to pump up my fit ball)

 

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Are your New Years resolutions doomed to failure?

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So, it is now 4 weeks since the beginning of the year and now the Chinese New Year is upon us.  I am curious as to how well you have managed to keep your New Year resolutions.  I don’t know about you but, not only was I never any good at keeping them, I was not even good at making them in the first place – I would forget and then someone would ask me in say, February, how are you going with your New Year resolutions and I would go blank and then  – “oh my God – I forgot to make any”  LOL!!  You can’t keep something you haven’t made!!

One year, I’m not sure exactly what year it was, I made the one and only New Year resolution I have ever kept!!  What was the secret of my success?  How, after so many years of failed resolutions did I make one, THE ONLY ONE that I have ever kept?    

I am sure many of you know about SMART

Specific

Measurable

Achievable/Attainable

Realistic

Time-framed

Many people make resolutions that they do not think about in SMART terms. They get carried away with the holiday season, make all sorts of well intentioned, exciting promises for a better year;  the ‘magic wand’ type of resolution – you know the one…..big, bold and right now !!!!

So, why are most of the resolutions that are made doomed to fail?  Well, not specific enough, not able to be measured, not achievable, unrealistic and not time framed; most resolutions are pretty vague in one or more of the SMART areas.

“I am going to give up smoking”. Oh yeah – When and How?

“Well, next week” What day?

“um….Wednesday?  No, hang on, I have got some new staff at work, a new project, work to catch up on after the holidays, new job, kids going back to school (pick one) ……and I will get too stressed out – maybe in a few weeks time when things settle down.” 

 Got it?  How successful will that resolution be? Where is the commitment? 

Try this on for size – “I am going to see my Doctor on Wednesday 2 February and find out what is available to help me give up smoking.  I will commit myself to giving up smoking completely by 4 April 2011.  On that day I will celebrate by ……” (No, not by having a cigar! – pick something else!). 

Another reason is committment.  I’ve often wondered about the point of making resolutions at New Year.  While I do understand the concept, I  have often thought that resolutions can be made at any time.   If the beginning of the year is fraught with stress, of course many resolutions will not be successful.  Another time in the year could be more appropriate, a time when the resolution has more chance of being successful.  If we keep making resolutions that are doomed to failure, we set ourselves up to fail next time, and the next, and the next…………….  When we don’t keep our resolutions, we can often tell ourselves that we will try again next New Year.  Even during the year when we think of something we want to change, it is so easy to decide to leave it until the next New Year and make it a resolution: you’ll probably forget that you had even thought of it. 

If something comes up for you during the year, what purpose is there to wait for January 1 again?  If August, or May, or even  23 January is a better time for you to make a change around something, then DO IT?  What is the point of wasting your life by leaving something until New Year and not being successful with it?   

Turning 2011 into a more successful year than 2010 needs self-belief and a mind shift: the focus is on what you want to achieve and it can start anytime during the year.   Don’t give up now just because other things have got in the way and look at what you want and check to see if YOU really want that change. 

Oh yes, I remembered.  What was the ONE, the ONLY New Year resolution I ever made that I actually kept???

TO NEVER MAKE A NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION AGAIN!!!

“I think in terms of the day’s resolutions, not the year’s”.  ~HenryMoore