The beginning of the new year is often a time for new beginnings in our own lives. The New Year gives us the sense of a clean slate, a chance to start again, or begin something new. There is that feeling that a fresh start is possible and it’s one of the reasons that so many people start the year with resolutions–to try and motivate themselves towards positive change moving forward.
Even as we sit down and make that list of New Year’s resolutions, we know many of them will be forgotten and abandoned by the end of February. There are many reasons why that happens, even with the best of intentions. But whatever the reason, we set our resolutions aside for a day, or a week, or a month until next New Year’s Eve comes around and we’re still in the same place without having made any progress.
But I have some tips for you that are going to help you set some realistic New Year’s resolutions, remove some of the stress around them, and keep you motivated to achieve them. So if you are ready to set yourself up for a year of achievement, read on!
Think about what you really want to do. Don’t make resolutions based on what you (or others) think that you ‘should’ do. Many people start by thinking in terms of what they should stop doing, rather than what they actually want to achieve. To be successful at any change, you need to really want it. So take time to consider what you really want or you’re going not going to be committed to your goal. Successful resolutions start with a strong commitment to make a change for yourself, not for others.
Don’t focus so much on giving something up. For example, more than a third of people in a recent survey indicated that they wanted to ‘get healthy’ in the new year. Many of them phrased the actual resolution as ‘lose weight’, ‘give up sugar’, ‘cut carbs’, ‘no more desserts’ or some other phrase that involves depriving or limiting themselves. Instead, try focusing on adding specific positive behaviors or alternatives that are enjoyable; such as ‘add leafy greens to my meals 3 times a week’, ‘add a meal/fitness app to my phone and use it daily’, ‘find a good protein shake that I like and enjoy it for breakfast’, or ‘take a walk in my neighborhood after dinner on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday’. You’ll likely see progress towards ‘getting healthy’, without the stress of depriving yourself. But more importantly because your mindset isn’t focused on scarcity or lack, you may find it more motivating.
Believe in yourself, and surround yourself with others who do too. To succeed at any goal you must believe that you can accomplish what you set out to achieve. I’ve talked about this, and the types of fear that keep us from achieving our goals, in many of my webinars and events. Anxiety, self-doubt, and fear are lies that can try to keep us from success. But the faith and belief we have in ourselves is going to be what sees us achieve our goals. While that success is based on the support you give yourself, it can be bolstered by the friends and family that support you. Write your resolution down and put it where you’ll see it throughout the year, then share your resolution with those you can trust to help hold you accountable.
Be realistic and make a plan. Some goals require more planning and thought than others. Go ahead and make a few simpler goals that you know you’re not going to have too much difficulty achieving. It’s nice to have a few ‘wins’ throughout the year. But keep in mind that your bigger goals are going to take time and effort. If your goal is ‘go to the gym’, don’t just buy a gym membership and show up a few times; add your planned gym visits to your appointment calendar for the entire year, and keep them. If your goal is to visit Hawaii, don’t just hope and wish for it to happen; make a budget to save and make a plan for how you’re going to get there and what you’re going to do when you arrive. If your goal is to build your business, improve your relationships, get a promotion, reconnect with an old friend, or learn something new, you are going to need to make a plan. If you already had the information, resources, experience, time, and money you needed to achieve these goals, you would have already, right?
Do something you love to do, and that you do best, every single day. You don’t have to make this a New Year’s resolution, but I recommend it. Doing something just for you every single day is powerful, especially if you spend more of your day occupied with the needs of others. Relax, reflect, read a book, write in a journal, listen to music, putter around the garden, or do any other activity that’s different from what you already do all day long. Resolve to set aside time for something you love and I know that it will make you happier, more motivated, and more productive in everything you do.
May your New Year’s resolutions help you make this year your best year ever.
Be good to yourself this year.