Happy New Year!
Here we go, part 2 of creating an awesome 2017.
There is SO much swirling around right now about how to friggin’ make changes, start new things, set goals, oy.
It’s already overwhelming, isn’t it?
My question to ask – you and myself –
Resolutions – Productive or Pointless?
According to Forbes and the Huffington Post, around 45% of people make new year’s resolutions and research suggest only 8% actually achieve them. The first two weeks are the easiest to stay committed and drop drastically by February. So this year, create new habits vs. make resolutions!
It takes 21 days on average to form a habit or achieve a goal. This takes daily practice to keep up on this ritual to make new changes.
5 helpful tips to get you started with your new life-long habits:
1. Set your Specific Intention – Rather than saying “I’m going to work out more” or “I’m going to save money.” be more clear of HOW and WHAT you will do to achieve these goals. Taking a few minutes to really set your intention and energy for your goal will give it that more power. While setting your goal, feel as though you have already achieved your goal. Boom.
2. Be Flexible – Setting goals that are not achievable can be discouraging and cause you to give up before you’ve even started. It’s better to do SOMETHING rather than nothing. Maybe you can’t make it to your spin class but you can still take a brisk walk for 20 minutes. Or, if a financial emergency comes up, you save 10% rather than the 30% you planned that paycheck. Flexibility is everything.
3. Do accountable – Setting up some type of accountability will help keep you motivated. Enlist a friend with the same goal to take action together. Meet for a gym date or just set up weekly check-ins to chat about your successes and road blocks. And guess what I am going to say, celebrate every little detail. You are already a winner because you are trying (that’s my cheerleading bit for you!).
4. Foster Patience – When you set your goal, be patient as some things are easier to accomplish, while others may need more time. Being patient also shows kindness toward yourself because we know that beating yourself up is counterproductive, right? You need adequate time to integrate changes into your old routine. So. be. patient.
5. Mark your Calendar – By breaking down and putting your goals visibly on your calendar, you are creating reminders to keep you on track – a pathway to success. If your goal is to save money, you can block out time on Sundays to review finances and focus on this during this time weekly. Use the tools you already have to set you up for success.
Creating new habits last a lifetime, whereas resolutions are short term goals. Wouldn’t it be great to make sustainable changes to last many years rather than for a month? One way to help you along the way is doing vision boards, learn more here!
Your turn!
Tell us about your intentions for the new year and what you would like to be accountable for. We are here to support you!
