How To Keep Your New Years Resolutions

Happy New Year everyone!

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.” 
― Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Year 2018 is here! A brand new year and a spanking new set of dreams, aspirations and resolutions! Yes, it’s that time of year again. The time of year when we feel as if we have to turn over a new leaf and become a new, improved us! It is a time for people to reflect on their past year’s behavior and promise to make positive lifestyle changes. Whether you have a list of actual resolutions or are just vowing to set a daily objective – the point of it all is to accomplish goals and make amends, right?

So, how to make this time round more successful, without failing? Well it’s not as hard as you might think! There are some really easy ways to set yourself on the path to success –

1 Be Specific – When making a resolution or goal, be specific. Your resolution should be absolutely clear! Don’t just say “get healthy” and expect to know exactly what that means. You want to make goals that guide your decisions throughout the year and motivate you to stick by it. Making a concrete goal is really important rather than just vaguely saying “I want to lose weight.” Remember – Vague ambitions  are easy to lose sight of. Don’t set a goal you can easily talk your way out of!

2 Take One Step At A Time – Just because a resolution has an end goal doesn’t mean you’ll get there on the first try. In fact, most resolutions aren’t that simple! Break those big goals down into little goal-lines that you can achieve throughout the entire year. Trying to take too big a step, too fast – can leave you frustrated, or affect other areas of your life to the point that your resolution takes over your life. Remember – Don’t aim too high and ignore reality – consider your previous experience with resolutions. What led to failure then? There will always be more opportunities to start on the next phase, so set realistic goals.

3 Create A Visual – Creating a visual representation of your resolutions can be helpful for those who struggle to maintain a mental image of their goals. A vision or inspiration board with photos and cut-outs of where you hope to be can be super motivating. Logging progress into a journal or making notes on your phone or in an app designed to help you track actions can also reinforce the progress, no matter what your resolution may be. Remember – The “out of sight, out of mind” aphorism is real! Don’t let what you aspire for ever go out of your sight and mind. Be conscious of purpose!

4 Talk About It – Share your experiences with family and friends. Consider joining a support group to reach your goals, such as a workout class at your gym or a group of co-workers quitting smoking. Having someone to share your struggles and successes makes your journey much easier and less intimidating. Remember – Having a support network is crucial!

5 Reward Yourself – When making your plan, an essential feature should be the rewards and treats you will give yourself at those all-important milestones. Celebrate little victories! Think of a way you can treat yourself – a much-needed spa, a glass of your favorite Pinot Noir or a trip to your favorite salon for some pampering – whatever works to keep you working towards your bigger goal! Remember – Make sure the rewards you choose don’t work against your goal. Over-board of anything is bad, so keep a check on the “cheat-days.”

6 Don’t Give Up – Do bear in mind that a slip-up is almost inevitable at some point, and you must not let this become an excuse to give up. Feel proud of your past achievements and don’t become too critical of yourself. Everyone has ups and downs! Resolve to recover from your mistakes and get back on track. Remember – The resolutions of any kind takes energy, determination and strength to turn into long-lasting and secure patterns. Be gentle with yourself, and you’ll be able to do great things.

“Tomorrow, is the first blank page of a 365 page book. Write a good one.” 
― Brad Paisley

Here’s to newer, better, excelling us! Cheers!

Tell me – which resolutions in the past have you actually KEPT? What made you stick to them?

Love,