When the question was asked regarding who sets and keeps New Year’s resolutions, the following answers were offered up:
“I try to set one but it’s not really a formal resolution”
“My resolution was no more resolutions”
“I make a resolution but not on New Year’s”
“When you’re perfect, you don’t need one”
Okay, so that last one was definitely a joke, but you get the picture. Out of the eight people in the office, only one actually sets and keeps a New Year’s resolution. However, that particular person offered one big caveat – the resolution is almost always attainable, or in other words “a very normal-sized commitment.”
Perhaps that’s the key to keeping a resolution. So many of us set enormous goals like losing “x” amount of pounds, or quit smoking cold turkey, or save a third of your income every pay cheque. While there’s nothing wrong with these resolutions, often times they represent such a drastic change in lifestyle that keeping the promise you’ve made to yourself becomes more overwhelming than not. After all, there’s a reason why the quote “a goal without a plan is just a wish” is so famous.
What are some attainable resolutions, then? Well, as we look around Blue Mountain Resort, there are a number of opportunities that may help with your resolution-fulfillment strategy. Here are just a few resolutions for you to consider as we head into 2015 complete with a plan on how you can keep them!
Master a new skill
The opportunity to learn something new is endless at Blue Mountain Resort. So you say you’re a skier? Make 2015 the year you discover the challenges of snowboarding (and vice versa, of course). We’ll help make the transition easy for you with a number of Snow School lesson programs catered to your level of ability and time commitment. If you have one day only, try Blue’s Discover Skiing and Snowboarding Newbie Circuit – a five step guided circuit program designed to help you master the skills of either sport at your own pace. If you prefer one on one instruction, 60 or 90 minute private lessons can also be booked. Lastly, if you spend your winters in the region, a 9 week program option may be your best bet to keep you active all winter long and help you master your newfound winter skill.
Take a trip outside your comfort zone
If you’re like me, my comfort zone firmly rests in green circle and blue square terrain. Black and double black diamond runs put the fear of god into me and as a result, I very rarely visit Blue’s North End and consider glade skiing and snowboarding a no-fly zone. The thing is, I’m missing out on a pretty awesome part of snowboarding because of my own lack of confidence. If this sounds like you, there are a number of ways in which you can safely push the limits of your comfort zone. For instance, we have 9 week adaptive skiing clinics where you get one on one time with a level four instructor. For those that prefer to work alone, try to test your skills on one of our gentler black diamond runs like Memory Lane. The pitch is only slightly steeper than some of its neighbouring blue square runs but unlike some of the North runs, Memory Lane is still wide which gives you the chance to consider how to approach a steeper pitch without worrying about making quick turns on a narrow run. Practice makes perfect! Once you’ve mastered one black diamond run, you can move up from there.
Learn to love winter
Not everyone loves winter. While we’re big fans of the season, we know that there are more than a few of you that would prefer to go straight from fall back into spring again. Over the years, I’ve found that the key to loving winter is to take advantage of winter-specific activities. Luckily, Blue Mountain has a number of activities covered – not including your standard skiing and snowboarding! Snowshoeing is a great hiking alternative and with options for a guided tour or snowshoe rentals, Blue makes it easy for you to enjoy a cold weather walk. If you prefer a speedier travel option, try a snowmobile tour through Grey County’s OFSC trails. For the adventurous in spirit, Winter Caving Tours are a great way to take a look inside the escarpment and discover century-old caves and natural crevices. Whatever you choose to try out, your resolution to love winter will certainly be better kept with one of these options.
Whatever your New Year’s Resolution may or may not be, we hope you’ll welcome 2015 and all it has to offer with open arms. Have a safe and happy New Year and hopefully, we’ll see you at Blue Mountain ready to conquer one of our suggested resolutions!