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The new year is right around the corner and this year I decided it would be a good idea to start a new years resolution before January 1st 2023. This allows me time to ease into it, and avoid any disappointment in myself should I break the resolution at the beginning of the year.
I remember once in my adolescence, on New Year’s Eve, I decided to quit sweets. The next day I was at the New Year’s Day Rose Parade in Pasadena with my family. First thing in the morning, my Mom passed around a tray of glazed cinnamon rolls and one whiff of that sugar marked the end of that resolution. That experience taught me that I am better off setting myself up to avoid potential failure should I lack the discipline to follow through.
Enter the John R. Wooden Award Court and suicide drills. You start at the baseline and run to the free throw line, then run back to the baseline. After that you run to the half court and back. After that you run to the opposite free throw line and back. Then finally you run full court down and back. My journey of suicide lines started in high school, then continued on to college while playing sports, and when I stopped playing ball that was the end of a decade of drills.
Until now.
I decided to set a reasonable goal that I would like to run up to 10 suicide lines by the beginning of the new year. Starting early will alleviate any dread I might encounter the morning of 2023 knowing I need to start that day. Instead, I can work towards my goal which can parlay into the upcoming year.
In the beginning I could only do two lines. I found myself short of breath and kind of dizzy so I would call it a day. I would also feel a little sore, however, it was nice to be sore knowing that I was working parts of my body that needed attention. Despite the physical pain, and mental commitment this resolution entails, I think making it to 10 lines by the end of December seems achievable.
Today I am up to four lines, so that’s encouraging. I won’t find myself in a situation like the New Year’s Day Rose Bowl Parade — where by midmorning I break my resolution toss back a glazed cinnamon roll loaded with sugar — and give up. I can avoid getting down on myself and feeling defeated. I also don’t have to stick to it for the entire year of 2023. I can allow myself the luxury to pick up resolutions along the way as I see fit. Besides, if I make it to 10 by the end of this month I already achieved my goal, and if I don’t that’s ok too because I can continue on until I make it to 10 at some point in 2023. Either way, it’s a win-win because I’ve allowed myself the cushion to start slow and build as I go without all the pressure to change overnight. I will have positioned myself to be ready for 2023, and I look forward to many more suicide lines on that legendary basketball court as I get stronger, faster, and continue to persevere and grow.
Happy pre-new year. If you are like me and don’t like to do things cold turkey, maybe think about starting a resolution before the new year comes around. Why wait?
