It’s that time of year again. #NewYearNewYou
Everyone begins to set resolutions of the new year. The gyms begin to fill up. People vow to stop smoking or drinking (as much). People begin to signing up to volunteer. Decluttering and cleaning up the closets and garage commence. However, as most people also know, the statistics about resolutions are also alarming and discouraging. There’s about an 80% failure rate and that typically comes by mid-February! OUCH!
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with setting goals and wanting to do better. The start of a new year certainly seems like a great time to get refocused and focused on setting some new goals.
Here are some tips for setting and keeping those New Year’s resolutions as we head into 2020.
Be Realistic.
One of the biggest reasons that most people are unable to keep their resolutions are because they start off with very unrealistic goals. For example, if someone’s goal was to lose weight in the new year, it might come with a very unrealistic plan of going from no days of exercise to 7 days of exercise. It might go from eating desserts evening to not eating any sugar anymore. These types of goals with extreme plans to accomplish said goals are doomed for failure because they’re simply not realistic and often come with unsustainable habits. By being a bit more realistic with your goals and making smaller, more sustainable changes, you’re more likely to keep at it.
Write it Down.
There’s been numerous studies done that show that people who write down their goals are more likely to accomplish them. Neuroscience seems to point to this idea that there’s a connection between those who can vividly describe their goals and write them out being anywhere from 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to accomplish them! So, grab a journal, make a vision board, do something and get your goals out of that head and down in some visual format!
Consider a New Approach.
Another approach to consider is moving less away from a resolution or goal tied with an outcome. Some people can become extremely discouraged and give up on their pursuits to reach a goal when it’s tied to an outcome. This is a bit against the idea of setting “SMART” goals, which prefer you tie your goal to something very specific. While there’s a time and place to set those kinds of goals (such as in business), when it comes to resolutions which are often times major shifts in lifestyle, another way to approach this without an outcome attached is by setting an intention. One way to do this is by choosing a word for the year. This word would be something that you would focus on throughout the year and make strides to achieve. You’ll find many ways along the course of the year where your intention and focus on this word came to fruition, but because it’s not merely tied to any particular outcome, there’s simply no way that you can fail. For example, using the common goal for weight loss as a resolution. If your resolution was to lose 50lbs, then come June, if you’re not down 25lbs, you might become extremely discouraged, decide that there’s no way you can accomplish that goal, and then stop your efforts altogether. However, if your intention was to “Be Healthier” and come June, if you can look back and see that you’re now exercising more than ever, drinking more water every day, eating more vegetables and fruits, and you’re down 15lbs, then you will find success, because you’ve been living out your intention.
Get Support.
Last, but certainly not least, having a strong support system is helpful whenever you’re trying to make changes in your life. Even if you don’t have a lot of support among your family or friends, there’s an online community for just about anything and everything these days. Sharing your goals with a trusted friend and your desire to be encouraged throughout the process will go a long way.
We hope that you found this article helpful! Resolutions, goals, intentions are all very personal to individuals. You don’t have to be afraid of becoming one of the failure statistics when it comes to resolutions. Change is very real and very possible, but you simply can figure out a different way to approach it and take it head on-one day at a time! Cheers to you and your New Year!
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