It’s a new year, which means time to set new goals! Do you find yourself trying to achieve the same thing year after year with little success? Or maybe something unexpected came up in your life that threw last year’s resolutions off track? Whether you are struggling with your goals, lacking motivation, or have already forgotten about them entirely, we have some tips for you.
Write Your Goals Down
Studies have shown that you are more likely to achieve your goals when you write them down. Writing down your New Year’s resolutions creates a visual cue for your brain. Whether you write your goals in a journal or make a vision board to hang on your wall, you’ll be one step close to hitting your goals.
Make Your New Year’s Resolutions Specific
You might be tempted to create resolutions that are open-ended or vague rather than commit to hard numbers and dates, but the more specific, the better! Creating goals that are clear and concise will help you create an action plan.
For instance, rather than saying, “I want to lose weight this year,” your goal could be to lose X amount of weight. Then you can break your large goal into smaller goals (for example, lose 0.5 lbs/week). Plus, this way you can celebrate the little victories as you make progress toward your larger goal.
Share Your Goals With A Friend
Some of us need a little extra push to accomplish our goals – that’s where accountability comes in. If you need some encouragement, tell your family and friends what you plan to achieve this year. Whether they take up the challenge with you or simply support you from the sidelines, you will feel motivated with a team behind you!
Keep Your Goals Front of Mind
It may be hard to believe, but a lot of us don’t reach our goals simply because we forget about them! As we get caught in the grind of our daily lives, our goals tend to take the backseat.
One of the best ways to stay on track is to incorporate them daily until they become second nature to you. There are multiple ways to accomplish this, without it being overwhelming so find what works best for you. Whether it’s sticky notes, phone apps, or photos of inspiration around the house, It’s important to find ways to keep you on track throughout your journey.
Choose Resolutions That Make You Happy
If your goal is to lose weight because you feel obligated to lose weight, you might need to pick another resolution. You should feel excited to tackle your goals and resolutions this year. Instead of choosing things that you feel obligated to change about yourself, pick things that make you feel good or excited. You’ll be more likely to achieve your goals if you have positive feelings about them.
Schedule Check-Ins With Yourself
If you’re worried about forgetting your goals once the momentum of the new year is over, check-ins are going to be instrumental in keeping your goals. Make a calendar invite for yourself that occurs once or twice a month to revisit your New Year’s resolutions. During this time, you can assess the progress you’ve made. If you’ve fallen off, create an action plan with small steps to get back on track.
Don’t be too hard on yourself! The start of a new year is a great time to make resolutions or set goals for yourself, but it’s not a race. Commit yourself to do a little better every day, and with the tips above, you’ll be achieving your goals in no time.
Ready to find your motivation again to achieve your goals? Follow us on Instagram to see our weekly health tips or to share your progress with us!
