With a new year on the horizon, it’s time to take a moment to reflect on the past year.
What accomplishment are you most proud of in the last year?
What do you wish you had done differently?
At the end of each year, it’s a good practice to reflect on the past year so you can appreciate your growth and discover what you can do differently in the coming year to create the life you want to create.
Ask yourself…
- What new habits have you developed this past year that you want to carry forward into the new year?
- What behavior would you like leave behind?
- What new habit or practice would you like to incorporate into the new year?
New year’s resolutions can be challenging to maintain, so reframing it as a continuation of your personal growth can help you to stay on track for the upcoming year.
If you want to be proactive in your growth this year, these tips can help set you up for success.
1. Don’t make too many resolutions at once
If you create a long list of resolutions, you could become overwhelmed and find it difficult to maintain the new habits. To avoid feeling frazzled by too many new changes, try focusing on the three questions above. You can put more energy, focus and dedication into them rather than minimal effort into many resolutions.
2. Connect to the purpose behind your goals
Ask yourself: Is this a resolution I feel motivated to uphold or do I feel outside pressure or expectation to do so?
When setting goals that create new lifestyle habits, think about the real reasons why you want to set a particular resolution. Will I be happier, healthier or more productive if I stick with it?
If you don’t foresee yourself continuing with your resolution, consider setting a more realistic one. Building upon small successes creates more stable and long lasting results.
3. Determine your measurements
While making a goal to “lose weight” or “get fit” is ok, resolutions phrased that way are rather vague. Define what “getting fit” means to you, or how much weight in pounds, fat or inches you are determined to lose.
In other words, make sure your goal is measurable. Setting up a time frame for yourself can also help to keep you on track. If your goal is related to fitness, sign yourself up for a specific 5K or vow to hit a particular fitness goal by a specific date.
4. Don’t be hard on yourself
Making new habits can be challenging. If you slip up on a goal, remember it’s ok and you are only human. If you feel discouraged, allow yourself a moment to feel that discouragement and then take the bull by the horns and start problem solving. Once you understand what triggered the slip up, you can put systems into place to prevent it from happening again! If you re-frame slip ups that way, it’s easier to see it as a learning experience rather than a failure.
5. Set reminders and make time for your goals
Many people underestimate the amount of time and energy it takes to accomplish resolutions. To make it easier on yourself, I often recommend to clients to set reminders on their phone. Setting phone reminders to drink more water, take walks or start your bedtime routine earlier can make it easier to establish a new routine. Planning ahead and scheduling in new habits will help to support you in achieving your new goals.
6. Tell someone about your New Year’s resolutions
Sometimes resolutions are deeply personal, but if you share your goal with someone else, it creates a higher level of accountability. Once you decide what your resolution will be, tell a trusted friend about your goal. By sharing your goal, you’ll feel a sense of responsibility and accountability that will help to keep yourself on track. The extra encouragement is helpful and can be fun too! I find that being accountable to someone other than yourself is the missing link to success! So don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. You will be happy that you did. 🙂