We’ve entered into a new year and with that comes a sense of purpose and renewed energy. Many of you will want to harvest this fresh lease on life and set goals for the year ahead. As you formulate and try to carry out your resolutions remember that January 1st is not magic! Reaching your goals will take preparation, determination and most of all discipline.
1. BE REALISTIC
When setting new year’s resolutions start small and build on top of your successes throughout the year. Realize that change is HARD and won’t take place overnight!!! Going against what comes naturally to you is downright insane but necessary. Therefore setting smaller more manageable goals will help you build momentum.
2. BE GENTLEÂ
If you fail just dust yourself off and try again. I can almost guarantee that you will have some set backs because life tends to get in our way sometimes. But if you decide not to dwell in self-pity you will get back on your feet and move forward faster.
3. PLAN AHEAD AND MAKE IT SPECIFIC
When setting new objectives don’t only determine the WHAT but also the HOW. If you want to be successful you should figure out how you are going to go about losing weight or learning a new language or becoming more productive at work. Your planning should be done step by step and leave very little room for error. See this planning as a roadmap designed to lead you to your desired destination.
4. GET HELP
Whenever possible take on your new resolutions with a partner. Don’t do it alone especially if it’s something you’ve tried doing in the past and failed miserably or something you are scared of doing. If you’ve decided to break an addiction find a support group or a mentor to help you along. If you want to hit the gym 5 times a week convince a friend to take the challenge with you. That sort of thing.
5. KEEP TRACK
Make sure your goals are measurable goals you can quantify every few weeks to see your progress. New year’s resolutions can sometimes be abstract and numbers take the guessing out of the game. If you want to embrace a healthier lifestyle for instance make it quantifiable; drink 8 glasses of water a day, exercise 3 times a week, eat home cooked meals 6 nights a week, etc.
6. RETHINK
Life is forever changing and some resolutions can become irrelevant. Every few months recalibrate your goals to suit your current reality. And remember that there is no shame in changing your mind and doing something that will serve your life better.
7. CONNECT WITH YOUR WHY
This tip is really important. Determine why is this resolution important for you. Let this reason be the driving force behind your determination. Let the “why†motivate you when you feel like giving up because the “how†is getting too hard.
8. REWARD YOURSELF
Treat yourself along the way. Every time you reach a milestone do something nice for yourself. This will keep you motivated and make the hard work worth it. Determine what those treats are going to be at the same time as you set your resolution. It will give you something to look forward to.
9. PACE YOURSELF
Don’t try to do everything at once. Avoid the temptation to set an overwhelming amount of goals all scheduled to start at the same time because you will get overwhelmed and lose track. Spread your resolutions throughout the year to make things more manageable.
Happy New Year!!!!
Stay conscious & Chic!
