“Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you’ve imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.” –Henry David Thoreau
The start of a new year is an exciting time for many, as it brings a feeling of a fresh start and the opportunity to set resolutions that you want to achieve throughout the year. While it can be difficult to stick to your New Year’s resolutions and make the necessary changes, there are many tips and tricks you can use to help make them a success. Enjoy these 3 simple tips to remember that will help you accomplish your New Year’s resolutions!
K.I.S.S – Keep It Simple Silly!
Don’t start the new year being overwhelmed with a 5-page list of goals you want to accomplish in 2023. Take that list and pick a couple that mean the most to you, then choose one to start with. A great one would be a goal that will positively impact your day-to-day life. For example, living a more healthy lifestyle. Most people immediately think “I need a gym membership to work out for an hour every single day, practice meditation, do yoga, buy all new clothes, eat an entirely different diet, drink a gallon of water every day…” NOT TRUE! After the first week you’ll be so exhausted, you won’t want to continue. Take it slow. It takes around 30 days to establish new habits, so you should start with one at a time. Schedule a 30-minute walk into your daily routine, or wake up 30-minutes sooner to meditate. Once these habits are established, you can add on the next one! Small steps are better than none at all. Also, You might need to skip that gym membership!
S.M.A.R.T. – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound
Starting your New Year with SMART resolutions will give you a stable foundation and lead to higher success rates. Once you have chosen your goal from your list, try to make it more specific. Let’s continue with the first example: “I want to live a healthy lifestyle”. Make this more specific by thinking about what exactly you consider a healthy lifestyle. What are you doing now that you want to change? You can say “I want to decrease my blood pressure by X amount by the end of the year,” or “I want to lose X pounds by June.” Aiming too high could lead to disappointment and frustration, so make sure your resolutions are attainable. Be sure to track your progress, either by journaling or keeping a log of your daily numbers and performance. You can also simplify further by marking a huge X on your calendar each day when you complete your habit. Seeing the progress will help you feel more motivated to continue, and having a “deadline” will help keep you on track. Remember, keep an open mind and be kind to yourself through the process. Don’t be afraid to make adjustments to the process, but never to the goal. Your brain will ALWAYS go against change, because it’s uncomfortable. Fight through the discomfort and you will truly feel the accomplishment.
L.O.V.E. – Living Our Victories Everyday
Each day when you wake up is a fresh start to be better than you were the day before. If you successfully kept your resolution, celebrate! You’re more likely to feel the motivation if you do. If you are in a relationship, ask your partner to celebrate with you and hold you accountable. If you still find yourself getting discouraged, you can find an accountability partner instead. This can be someone who is working on the same goals as you, or someone that has met your goals and can guide you along the way. If your personality prefers you do things alone or away from other people, substitute the partner with a DIY app on your phone that holds you accountable, keeps track of your progress, gives you tips and workout ideas, and sends you reminders each day. Thank goodness for technology making our lives easier!