New year, new time to name a few things you want to change about yourself, i.e. lose weight, save money, etc. The photo above is part of me accomplishing my most memorable New Year Resolution – A Year of Travel! Now it’s time to make a new list. Unfortunately, it’s so easy to renege on this halfhearted agreement with yourself that there’s an entire day dedicated to disposing of your resolutions (January 17th).
Why? Well, people either pick things they aren’t ready to commit to or they just don’t know how to get organized. If this sounds like you, I’m here to help! There’s a better way to do resolutions that will lead you to a more fulfilling year! Let’s get started:
- Take time to think
- Before starting, take a deep breath and think about yourself and the things you’d like to improve. Think about all aspects of your life and any goals you’ve been putting off. This is an opportunity!
- Be extra
- The basic “I want to lose weight” or “I want to save money” is not very passionate. Let’s be honest. Have you had those on your list before and still here it is again? Motivate yourself with a reason! “I want to be confident in a bikini for my summer trip” or “I want to have a $5k down payment on a new car.”
- Get it on paper
- Now that you’ve thought about it, write or type up your list. Pro tip: in accordance with steps 2 and 4, you’ll want something worth looking at – get creative!
- Keep it in view
- To avoid “forgetting”, have several copies and put them where you’ll see it regularly. This is meant as a gentle reminder you’re working towards something – there is always a goal!
- Get scheming
- Now that the list is formalized and basically your guidelines for the year, it’s time to make a plan of action. These resolutions won’t fulfill themselves. Want to get ready for bikini season? Start looking at bikinis online, save a photo of one you like and maybe even print it out. Then, find a body type you’d like to aim for and put down some steps on what it would take to get there.
- 6-month check
- Sometime around the beginning of July, take a serious look at your list and figure out where you’re at for each item. This is an important part of the process because you have a chance to re-motivate yourself if the plan has fallen back. There’s still half a year!
- Be mindful, not stressed
- It’s true you came up with these specific things for the greater good of you. That doesn’t mean, however, that you have to give yourself a hard time if you’re not where you’d like to be. This isn’t something you necessarily need to focus on daily but it’s meant to keep you focused ahead. If you were trying to lose 30 lbs and by November you only lost 10, be positive – you lost 10! You have progress, that’s what matters.
That takes you through to the end of the year. Now, ready to start all over again?
This is something I’ve done since my teens. Every year I make a list of *10* goals I want to achieve and most years I do a pretty good job of seeing them through. There are usually a few I wish I had been better with but regardless, I at least try with each one.
If you’re having a hard time getting with the program or could use some inspiration, just know I’m going through the same motions! Here’s my list of resolutions:
Learn to play piano
Read 1 book a month
Go to the cinema 2x a month
Enjoy one digital free day a week
Form connections with long-lost family
Attend a career-related convention
Create new sources of revenue
Set up workshops for small businesses
Practice meditation
Go to London
If you plan on trying this different way of looking at resolutions this year, feel free to reach out and let me know! I take the resolutions pretty seriously because I like goals and I always strive for improvement. If you need help coming up with some things – I would love to offer some assistance. You can comment here or follow me on Facebook or other social sites and we’ll get connected!
Queen Meranda 