1. Who am I? How do I think of myself? What are my strengths and weaknesses?
2. Who do I want to be?
3. Why am I here? Why am I important? What is my mission?
4. What am I missing? The time to read a book? A close friendship?
5. What’s my motivation for wanting to improve my food and exercise habits? If it’s to look better, do I expect favorable results to bring love?
6. Am I afraid of making changes or of taking risks (quitting a boring job, getting out of a bad relationship)? Do I fear failure or the responsibility that could come with success? Could I embrace change instead as an adventure?
7. What has stopped me from keeping resolutions in the past? Is the obstacle (or obstacles) still present in my life? If so, how will I navigate it this time?
8. When I’m tempted to wander off track, what could I say to myself, or do, to stick with the original plan?
9. How can I build in support for myself? Ask a friend to be a health buddy? Join a walking club?
10. What am I doing in my life that’s hurting me? Smoking? Drinking too much? Letting work interfere with relationships?
11. What are the sources of joy I need to feel whole?
12. Am I happy?
If you don’t make time for what matters to you, how can others value your importance?
Source: Marianne Legato, MD, founder of the Partnership for Gender-Specific Medicine at Columbia University via http://www.oprah.com.
