As the New Year approaches many of us consider changes that we can make in our lives to improve and grow. We reflect on the past year, identify strengths and weaknesses and make New Year resolutions. We commit to changing our eating habits, improve our relationships, manage anger, and to become more spiritual. But change isn't easy. In the past we have identified important strategies for successful and sustainable resolutions. They include:

- believing that change is possible

- having a specific plan

- putting in effort

- being quick and focused

Here is another important idea to consider to ensure successful improvement and growth.

Personal growth is like physical fitness training. At a gym, on your own or with a personal trainer, there is a simple balance that must be achieved to ensure that the training is effective. On the one hand there is the 'no pain no gain' principle. Lifting weights, jogging or doing pushups at your current fitness level is useless. Effective training means challenging your current level and doing more than you are comfortable with.

On the other hand a drastic jump beyond your current ability, done too quickly can result in serious health risks. Everyone needs to know their limitations and push themselves a little more but not too much.

Spiritual fitness training works the same way. Real growth means that we are prepared to challenge our current comfort level. Effective change means making a lifestyle change and a mindset shift that takes effort and might even be painful. But at the same time when we become inspired to grow we should never be over-enthusiastic, making unreasonable and drastic changes that are not manageable or sustainable.

As Rosh Hashanah arrives we should commit to change - real change. All our resolutions should be ones that will hard, will require effort but at the same time will be small enough to be realistic and manageable.

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