New Year resolutions are all fun and games until we forget about them a month later.
Every year we resolve to change something, accomplish something, or improve our life in some way, but how many of these resolutions are kept?
They become reminders of something we didn’t accomplish and sometimes even make it on next year’s list of resolutions. Am I right?
By the end of my post, you will know how to turn your resolutions into goals that you actually reach this year.
What stops us from keeping our resolutions?
New Year resolutions are our way of saying we’ll do better this year, so why are many resolutions forgotten before the end of January?
Why do we do this every year?
One of the main reasons people give up on their resolutions is because they don’t have a plan!
“If You Fail to Plan, You Are Planning to Fail” — Benjamin Franklin.
Another primary reason people give up is that they don’t see immediate results.
We get lost in the instant gratification that comes from eating sweets, sleeping in, not putting in the hard work.
It takes conscientious decisions to reach our goals.
These are just the top two reasons why we forget all about our new year resolutions. There are endless excuses for why we give up and forget our New Year resolutions.
Don’t worry; I’m here to help.
The most challenging step is always the first step, and you have already taken the first step by looking into how you can keep your New Year’s resolutions.
How to keep your New Year Resolutions
Is there anything we can do to keep our New Year resolutions alive?
YES!
I will help you make and keep your New Year resolutions by transforming them into actionable goals.
All you have to do is follow a few easy steps… and of course, PUT IN THE WORK!
First, we must know what is driving us. Why do you want to accomplish each of your goals?
The “why” will keep you moving towards your goals. It will remind you why you started your journey.
Keep that in mind when you think of each one of your goals.
Now, let’s get started!
- Think of realistic New Year resolutions or goals
- Write down your goals
- Please write it down on a piece of paper where you can expand on each goal
- Write it down again and place it somewhere you can see it every day
- Determine why you want to achieve this goal. Remember your “why” is essential!
- Think of small milestones for your goal
- Plan exactly how you will reach each milestone and how you will reward yourself for accomplishing each milestone
- Set reminders and motivational notes
- Don’t give up
Think of realistic goals
Creating realistic goals will be crucial to your success.
Think of something obtainable and not out of this world.
Something attainable would be to get a certification you have wanted, lose x amount of unwanted weight, change your eating habits, or learn how to drive.
Something out of this world would be becoming a billionaire or traveling to Jupiter.
Try to limit the number of goals based on the amount of time you can commit to them.
Changing habits and trying to reach a goal can take time because they require conscious decision-making, but do not be discouraged.
Ideally, you want to end up with a goal that sounds like the one below.
Goal: “I would like to read 5 self-help books this year because I am important and worth it. These self-help books will help me improve and develop skills I have been wanting to focus on for some time. I will feel accomplished and motivated when finishing these books. I will create a list of books I would like to read, which can be changed, but having a list will keep me accountable. I will spend about 2 months reading each book. I will read each day for about 1 hour (or whatever time you have) from Monday-Friday. “
Write down your goals
The next step is to write down your goals! Writing down your goals allows you to start the planning process.
You will need to write them down twice. Once on a piece of paper or on your computer to elaborate and plan.
The second time will be on a post-it or something that you can place in a visible area. This will serve as a daily reminder that you have a goal to accomplish. Similar to a vision board.
Determine your “Why”
Think of why you want to accomplish each goal.
Remember your “Why” is what will keep you going, so make sure it is an honest and important “why.”
Think of what will happen if you don’t accomplish this goal. Or what will change if you do achieve this goal.
Next to your goal, write down your honest why (no one has to see this, so be fair and be true to yourself).
Milestones
Now that you have your goals let’s create milestones.
Remember, one of the reasons people give up on their New Year resolutions is because they do not see immediate results.
Creating small milestones will allow you to see your results.
Let me give you an example!
If your goal is to lose 20lbs by May, then a milestone will be to lose 4lbs each month.
You can track your progress and have the satisfaction of seeing your results.
Make sure you reward your progress too. For example, buying yourself a new pair of workout shoes or treating yourself to a massage.
Another example would be to become a vegetarian.
You can create a milestone of Meatless Mondays for one month (or however long you need) and add additional days until you no longer eat meat.
With these milestones, you track your progress and create a conscious change to your habits.
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.
Okay, let’s make a plan!
Goals don’t just happen on their own! A goal without a plan is just a dream. You have to think about how you will make your goal happen.
Let’s work with our earlier examples.
If you want to lose 4lbs a month, what will you consciously do to make this happen?
Will you go to the gym twice a week?
Will you reduce the amount of fast food you eat? If so, by how much?
If you want to be a vegetarian and implement Meatless Mondays, where will you get vegetarian recipes?
How will you plan for your Meatless Mondays?
You have to create a plan to reach each milestone which leads to achieving your goals!
You’re turning your goals into bite-size actions/changes that are more manageable.
Set Reminders and Motivational Notes
You already have a post-it of some sort in a visible area to remind you of your goals. Now you can take it a step further and add reminders to your calendar or phone.
Set a reminder to go to the gym.
Set a random motivational reminder of why you want to lose those 20lbs by May; or why you want to become a vegetarian.
When you ask, why am I making these changes to my life? Your “why” will keep you focussed. It will remind you of why you are putting in the work.
Keep your New Years Resolutions – Don’t give up!
You have gotten this far, don’t give up. Keep pushing and then push some more.
You have all the tools you need to achieve your goals, and no one can stop you unless you let them.
I once asked a friend how she woke up every morning at 5:00 am to go for an early workout. Rain or shine, she would be up at 5:00 am. Her response was, “I just do” when you make a commitment to yourself, you just have to do it. The following day, I committed myself to wake up an hour earlier than usual. When my alarm rang, I was about to push the snooze button when I remembered I was only letting myself down. I just had to wake up. So. I did!
There is a slight moment between moving forward and standing still. In my example above, the moment the alarm rang, my automatic reaction was to turn off the alarm. Thoughts that crossed my mind were probably, “I need more sleep. I will workout tomorrow. I don’t want to.” The key point is not to allow your thoughts or automatic responses to take over. Whether I felt like waking up or not was irrelevant. I made a goal of waking up early, so I engaged in the behavior= I woke up. Do not allow your feelings to dictate your behavior. With time, the more consistent you are, you will notice your feelings toward the behavior will change and you will not mind waking up early or going to the gym. The feelings begin to match your behavior and you begin to create a positive relationship with the behavior.
So when I woke up that day, I understood what my friend meant when she said, “I just do.”
Don’t let yourself down.
Don’t give up!
