'Tis the season for goal setting tra-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la
December is a great time to hit pause amidst all the festive fun and reflect on the past year and take stock of where you are in life. Evaluate the things that you are happy with and what you wish was different or needed more work. And then think of how you can take these forward to the following year and set yourself some new year resolutions that work.
Here are some simple tips to make your resolutions work for you in the following years:
ᴿᴹ Set personal goals
No one knows you better than you know yourself. You know where you are winning in life and you know where you fall short. Set yourself goals that are real to you. Instead of vague, generic resolutions such as 'lose weight' or 'quit smoking', think about what you would personally like to achieve. Perhaps it is something you have been thinking about for a long time or maybe it's an interest that has fallen by the wayside. Your goals should be something personal and meaningful to you.
ᴿᴹ Setting realistic goals
Have goals. By all means, have big goals. But just be realistic about it. If you want to be a best-selling author for instance, start out by writing short stories, then write short novellas and then start writing that book. You can’t write a whole book in one day; so give yourself some time and be patient with yourself. In a day, just write a few paragraphs, maybe a few pages even and if you’re feeling really inspired write a chapter. Take baby steps so that you don’t feel overwhelmed. That way your projects are less likely to get ditched.
ᴿᴹ Part of a process
Rome was not built in a day. You won’t write that book in a day. And unfortunately, you won’t be ripped in a day either. But that’s okay. The secret is to remember it’s a process and your goal should be on the process rather than the end goal. So, don’t think about looking good in a bikini this summer. Instead focus on eating right and going to the gym regularly. Focusing too much on the end goal can be exhausting. Also you end up thinking you have more time than you really do to achieve your goal- this could lead to procrastination. So, take it one day at a time.
ᴿᴹ Schedule it in
One sure fire way to achieve your goals is to schedule it into your planner/diary/agenda/ Filofax/phone. Once you have time allocated to your call, it becomes a lot easier to use that time and focus on the goal.
ᴿᴹ Leave room for error
It is okay to slip up and have a chocolate or two. Don’t beat yourself up over small things; forgive yourself and move on. A slip up does not and should not mean that you quit on your goals altogether. You’re trying to establish a new habit in your life and it’s okay to mess up sometimes.
ᴿᴹ Stay positive and focused
Nothing is more draining than a negative can’t do attitude. Whenever you feel overwhelmed and like you cannot do it, remember you can. Write positive affirmations down when you’re in an upbeat mood and look at them when you start to doubt your abilities. There is nothing you can’t achieve and having the right positive can do attitude will help you get there faster.
ᴿᴹ Complete tasks
You will struggle to achieve your goals if you don’t see things through. Break your goal down to bite size doable tasks and make sure you do them before moving onto harder, challenging tasks that are in line with your goals.
ᴿᴹ Keep things interesting
To avoid things becoming boring for you, make sure that tasks you do are challenging and yet are within your capabilities. Anything that is too easy can quickly become boring. Anything that is too difficult can be overwhelming and you can become quickly drained. Find the right balance so you are constantly challenging yourself. This is a great way to improve your skills in anything you have chosen to focus on.
ᴿᴹ Look at alternative ways
If you are struggling to stick to your resolutions because they are starting to bore you, you might need to change things up and perhaps look for alternative solutions. For instance, if your resolution is to get healthy but you are bored of the gym, then why not take up swimming or cycling or dancing or maybe even change the time of your workout? The possibilities are endless. Don’t just stick to one thing. Vary it up and enjoy all the options out there.
ᴿᴹ Treat yourself
If you’ve been good to yourself and have been working hard on your goals, then you should give yourself some treats. It could be something as small as buying a coffee from Starbucks to something as lavish as buying a designer handbag. Reward yourself when you feel you’ve done good or when you have reached certain milestones. Don’t just wait for the end goal to treat yourself. Reward yourself as you hit the small targets you set for yourself.
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