I recall the last time I went to Ikea for more than a few knick-knacks. With virtually no furniture, I had just moved into an apartment. I spent almost a whole day checking out the various showrooms and testing out tables, chairs, desks, and sofas. After somehow cramming all the choices into a car, driving to my apartment, and hauling everything inside, I still had to assemble the furniture. It took several days to complete. In the end, that was the most challenging stage of the whole event. Even though it was tough, the furniture came together bit-by-bit — and my apartment started to feel like a home.

When you put effort into some things, you may be able to see instant results  — like furnishing an apartment or cooking a meal or cleaning a room. Other things take quite a long time and require much more time to see or feel he results. I could be wrong, but I think most people agree that drinking water instead of soda is healthier. Unfortunately, you may not be able to feel or see the difference if you choose to drink water instead of soda for a meal, a day, or even a couple of weeks. If you’re in the habit of enjoying soda, making this change is tough – and not having any tangible results makes it even harder.  

You may be coming into this new year thinking that you have tried it all to get healthier, but that nothing has worked. Like putting together furniture, these shifts are hard, and it is very tempting to give up. These newfound changes are challenging, which is why many people give up before they feel or see the results — but they most certainly are important and require that we try hard for a while. However, when you consistently make these good choices, improvement will happen. If you need support I suggest you find a fitness and health professional who can guide you through the tough moments.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a safe and healthy month.