Sunny Side Up

The “Do What You Can Plan” is all about keeping things positive. It’s a lot friendlier than the “You Tried Again This Year But Failed As Usual” plan. Our brains are wired to respond better to being told what we can do than what we can’t. Just try giving up chocolate for a week and see if you’re not shrieking like a banshee by Wednesday. Rather than figuring out what you’re not going to do, think about what you are going to do instead. For example, next time I throw chocolate to the wind, I’ll splurge on strawberries and pineapple to take its place when I have a craving for something sweet.

Another part of staying sunny is celebrating. I’m trying to get better at savoring accomplishments. I tend to reach a goal and then instantly set out towards a new one. Celebrating can look different for everyone. Maybe you go out to eat at your favorite restaurant, buy some new shoes, take a nap-or all of the above. Celebrating is positive reinforcement, a concept we’re all familiar with. It makes our brains more willing to cooperate next time we set a goal. 

The “Do What You Can Plan” is essentially about making goals work for you rather than the other way around. It’s about small changes that make a big difference. It’s about knowing that life is a meaningful journey and every step takes us closer to where we want to go. And along the way, it’s okay to eat chocolate, mess up, and make things as easy as possible.  We can all do a lot if we just do a little.

Holley Gerth is a writer and creative manager for DaySpring, a subsidiary of Hallmark. She just published her first book, The Greatest Shepherd of All. Holley shares her heart and home with her husband Mark and a very silly dog named Katie.