At the start of every year it is common to set resolutions and goals for the year ahead, but then somewhere between January and March our resolve begins to falter and before we know it we're compromising on what we wanted to achieve from ourselves. Old habits slip back into routine and we wonder why we were ever so ambitious to begin with.
But it doesn't have to be that way, we don't have to let our resolutions and goals fall to the side. So how do you actually set a resolution you will actually stick to?
- Focus on one goal at a time and make it specific
It's easy to get swept up in the euphoria of a New Year and the endless possibilities that it can bring, but when we set too many goals we lower the chances of actually fulfilling them. Instead focus on one goal at a time with a tangible deadline you'd like to achieve it by. Make sure your goal is specific, so for instance instead of having "get in shape" you might set the goal that you will exercise three times a week. -
Make a detailed plan for how you will achieve your goal
Sit down and truly think about your plan and how you will realistically achieve it. With a good plan in place you will find that it is easier to face any obstacles that might come up. Brainstorm why you want to make these changes, list the ways how and how you will feel in yourself when you achieve that goal.
- If you failed your resolution from last year, make a different one this year
There's no point in repeating past failures, and whilst we aren't saying that if you didn't achieve your fitness or health goals last year that you shouldn't try again this year, but what you can do is reframe how you go about tackling them. Why did you fail last year, was the plan to ambitious, were there too many moving parts... did 2020 just come and dumpster fire over everything? -
Change takes time, don't expect overnight results
You need to get comfortable with the fact that positive change in your life can take time to achieve, in some cases it can take a really long time! But that doesn't mean you should give up because your resolutions aren't happening over night.
- When your motivation begins to fall, renew it!
This seems obvious, but when you feel your motivation begin to slip (because whose doesn't after the initial excitement of setting your goals...) then this is the perfect time to get out that plan you made and take a look at it and your reasons for making the resolution/s you have made. And if all else fails, it's ok to take a day... or even a week off, just set an alarm or reminder to get back into it at a later date. - Habit tracking!
Whether it's through an app or diary, keep track of your habits and you will have a great way to look back at how far you have come and what you have achieved.