3 Surprising Tips For New Year Resolution SUCCESS!
“I’m going to go to the gym every day…”
“I’m sugar and grain free for the year…”
“I’m going to lose 30 lbs…”
“30 minutes of meditating a day…”
“Not raising my voice at my kids anymore…”
Oh, the new year resolutions are really flying right now. Lofty goals abound!
And I love this time of year for that reason! People are reflecting on their own needs, getting their act together, committing to be a better version of themselves. Exercise classes are maxed, shopping carts are full of veggies and people are remembering to take their supplements.
It’s inspiring!
But, unfortunately, as January 1st recedes, most people fall into their old patterns. Which is ok too! Better to be take care of yourself 1 month out of the year than none, right?
But if you’d like to have a bit more success this year, check out my tips below…some of which might surprise you…
Be More Boring With Your Goals.
I would like to be the lead singer in a band. I’d also love to meditate for an hour every day. Oh, and I don’t ever want to interrupt my husband again.
These resolutions all sound lovely, right? Well, they are! And they’re also quite a leap from where I am right now…
You want to have lofty dreams and a clear vision of where you’d like to be in the future, but the way you get there is usually by small, measured, mundane steps. Which can seem pretty boring in our culture of instant gratification. But by setting small, realistic goals, you increase your chance of success and allow yourself to move on to the next small step towards your grand vision.
I recommend working out your resolutions into small actions. To do this, just set a goal, and then write out 3 very small steps you need to take to achieve that goal.
For example, if your goal is to start running every day, then your worksheet for that goal might look like this:
New Year Resolution: Run every day
Pulls sneakers out of back of closet, clean them and put them in sight.
Map out running route.
Plan morning routine to allow for running and still getting to work on time.
This might seem silly, but I promise that if you break your goals down this way, it will help to eliminate some barriers. Give it a shot!
2. Brag To People About Your Resolutions.
Who are these resolutions for? YOU!
Who is going to make them happen? YOU!
Who needs to know about them? More than just YOU!
We are communal creatures. We are constantly influenced by those around us, whether we are conscious of it or not.
Telling other people about our goals and what we are trying to do adds a degree of accountability to our actions. And that increases our chance of success.
I can remember times in my life when I was with others and making a poor choice for myself, and slyly and guiltily thinking, “No one here knows I’m not supposed to be doing this.” I wasn’t able to keep myself accountable in those moments. But maybe if I had communicated to a friend I was with, their awareness would have kept me in check.
So talk to your close friends and family, people that you know will support you in a positive way. (Don’t tell the friend who always seems comment on your failures.)
And don’t let it make you self-conscious! It’s ok to tell people about your resolution and then not stick with them.
Success is a series of trials and failures! Every time you try, you learn something new about yourself.
3. Skip The New Year Resolution.
Instead consider a New MONTH Resolution!
A year is a long time. Doing anything for that long is pretty daunting for most of us. Start with a month-long goal. And at the end of the month you can reassess.
I even recommend getting an old-school paper calendar and hanging it up. Write your goal at the top with some positive words for yourself and then cross off the days towards your goal.
And if you miss a day (or 3), don’t throw the whole thing out - just get back on the horse!
Perfectionism is often the enemy. Be nice to yourself. Making healthy choices can be hard, but it’s all about creating momentum.