Gym Crowds, New Routines, and January Truths

Last week was the first real full work week of the new year. That’s always an interesting time. It’s when New Year’s resolutions officially kick in, motivation is still high, and everyone seems to be trying to reset after the holidays.

I even noticed one of the gyms where I work out with my dad promoting a “New Year, New You” program starting later this month. You can tell this is the season when gyms are packed. My dad mentioned that on Monday and Tuesday, the gym was absolutely slammed. But when he and I worked out together on Saturday, the numbers had already dropped off quite a bit. That drop-off happened fast.

It makes you wonder what most people’s New Year’s resolutions really are and how long they last. I’ve heard that the majority of people abandon their resolutions by the 20th or 21st of January, especially when it comes to working out or eating better. I don’t know if that stat is exactly right, but based on the gym traffic, it feels pretty believable.

For me, last week was about getting back into my normal routine. I went back to my usual diet and workout schedule. I was hoping all of the Christmas weight would fall off quickly, but that didn’t quite happen. Turns out it wasn’t all just sugar sitting in my bloodstream after all. I’m going to have to put in a little extra effort to drop those holiday pounds. My goal is to have them gone by the end of February, if not sooner.

I also started going to jiu-jitsu. One of my business coaches highly recommended that I get into some kind of physical combat sport. His thinking was pretty simple. I sit behind a desk most of the day, and I need something that forces me to move differently, engage physically, and challenge myself in a new way. So I’ve started working on that as part of my New Year reset. It’s definitely different, humbling, and something I’ll have to grow into, but I can already see the value.

On the mental and spiritual side, I’ve also been studying some of the works of Neville Goddard. He did a lot of philosophical writing back in the 1920s, especially around abundance, scarcity, and the importance of controlling your thoughts. In many ways, his work feels like a precursor to ideas like the law of attraction, but it’s also very focused on personal responsibility and mindset. Thinking positive thoughts, not constantly putting yourself down, and being intentional about what you tell yourself internally. I’ve found that work interesting and helpful as I think about how I want to approach this year.

Last year, I completed the Bible in a Year podcast, where you work through the entire Bible over the course of twelve months. I finished that toward the end of last year, so now I’m looking at what I want to do spiritually this year. I’ve been considering an apologetics-style book that walks through different parts of Scripture and explains the historical evidence and factual basis behind those beliefs. It’s structured into about 48 lessons, which works out to roughly one lesson per week. That feels like a manageable and meaningful rhythm, so that’s likely what I’ll end up doing.

During the week, even though the weather was a little rainy, we still found some bright spots. We went out to the land, what we usually call the ranch, and drove around for a bit. We walked around the pond and ended up discovering something we didn’t even know was there. There’s an overflow valve installed at the pond, apparently put in by the previous owners. It looks like you can open or close it depending on the water level, which would allow excess water to drain out if the pond ever got too full. We didn’t have any tools with us to test it, but just knowing it’s there gives me some peace of mind. It’s something we’ll definitely go back and check out more closely.

Planning for the house is still moving forward as well. We’re meeting with the architect again next week to continue working through the plans and see where things land. At the same time, we’re still dealing with the county on extending the water line, which has turned into about a six-month process. It’s slow, but it is moving, and that’s what matters.

This time of year is always exciting for me. I enjoy sitting down and thinking about where I want to be by the end of the year. What goals I want to hit personally. How I want to grow spiritually. What kind of progress I want to make with my health. And then, on the business side, what growth looks like. How we can continue to improve our services, help more clients, hire the right people, and build something that’s sustainable and meaningful.

I hope everyone had a great start to the new year and is hitting the ground running this January. It’s a great time to set targets, create momentum, and start moving intentionally toward where you want to be.

Until next week,
Shane

If you're navigating life after an injury and need someone to fight for you while you focus on healing. In pain, call Shane.

Shane Smith Law | 980-999-9999