December 21 was the official Winter Solstice.  What this means is that during a calendar year, the 21st was the “shortest day” in terms of daylight hours of any other day during that year.

June 21 is the day known as the Summer Solstice.  Exactly 6 months later and this day determines the “longest” day of the year (or the day with the most hours of sunlight).

On or around the 27th of December this past month, I made the comment to someone that we are on the upswing to longer days.  He laughed and said that was so far away, how could I call longer days as getting closer when we are only gaining a minute or two each day, if that!

The reality is although you barely notice longer days on a day to day basis, in 5-6 months from now, we will wake up to sunlight and some of us will even go to sleep when the sun is barely setting (in Alaska, this is true for sure). This analogy is similar to our goals!

If we look at the steps we take, day to day, sometimes it seems we are only “inching” forward; gaining only a minute or two each day towards our aspirations and we can get easily frustrated.

However, if we fast forward to 6 months from now and are diligent in the goals we desire, the difference is phenomenal!

Let’s say you want to reduce your waistline; instead of going on a cleanse, detoxing and not eating for 5 days, consider replacing one of your “usual” meals each day with a colorful healthy salad, or replace the 3 pm candy with an apple.

Or, instead of running to the gym after being sedentary for the last 10 months and working out for 90 min 7 days a week until you are so sore and exhausted you wait another 10 months to go back, try adding in a routine of an extra 15 minutes every day…creating more dynamic workouts as the months go by!

As you are creating your goals for 2010, each day might seem like a baby step…but take them because by summer you won’t recognize yourself and you’ll be climbing stairs…literally!