The start of a new year always feels like a fresh start. A chance to put the past behind us and create our own paths. This is why so many people take this time of year to set their New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s finally getting into an exercise habit or quitting smoking, there’s no better time than now to make positive changes in your life.
Those who commit to New Year’s resolutions have a tenfold greater chance of actually altering their behavior than those that don’t partake in this annual ritual. Remember that next time some tells you that New Year’s resolutions are silly.
- 1. Don't Wait Until The Last Minute
- 2. Forgive Yourself
- 3. Learn From You Mistakes
- 4. Set Realistic Goals
- 5. Make Sure These Are Your Goals
- 6. Write It Down
- 7. Create A Support Network
- 8. Take Baby Steps
- 9. Track Your Progress
- 10. Renew Your Motivation
- 11. Be Prepared for Setbacks
- Actionable Steps
- Further Reading
1. Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute
Many people wait until the last minute to set their resolutions, but this isn’t the best way to ensure success. Start early and give yourself plenty of time to plan.
2. Forgive Yourself
The first step to setting new years resolutions is to forgive yourself for any mistakes you feel like you’ve made and any goals you’ve missed in previous years. No one is perfect, so don’t let yourself be too hard on yourself. When setting resolutions it’s important to focus on what you can do differently this year, not on the things that have already happened.
3. Learn From You Mistakes
When setting resolutions it’s important to look at the goals you set in previous years and find out what may have hindered your progress. Did you not plan properly? Were you too ambitious? Try to use this information when creating new goals for yourself this year.
4. Set Realistic Goals
When making your resolutions, it’s important to remember to be realistic about what you can actually achieve. Setting unrealistic goals is one of the main reasons why so many people fail at achieving their resolutions; because they set themselves up for failure from the beginning by setting goals that are too lofty or ambitious. Don’t be afraid to think big, but also remember that nothing happens overnight and small steps are just as important as big ones when it comes to reaching your goals.
5. Make Sure These Are Your Goals
It’s also important to keep in mind that these should be your goals, and not someone else’s. Don’t let society dictate or pressure you into doing something you don’t actually want to do. Make sure that the goals you set are genuinely things that you want to work towards and achieve.
6. Write It Down
One of the best ways to ensure that you reach your goals is to write them down. Seeing it in black and white can make it seem more real and give you a sense of accountability. Writing things down also makes it easier to track your progress throughout the year, so you can see how far you’ve come and even adjust your goals if necessary.
7. Create A Support Network
One of the biggest obstacles when it comes to achieving your resolutions is lack of support. Make a list of friends and family who can help you stay on track, whether it’s through encouragement or accountability.
8. Take Baby Steps
Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither will your new you! When tackling any resolution, it’s important to break down whatever goal you have into smaller steps or tasks. Doing so will make them seem more manageable and achievable and you can easily track your progress along the way. Small victories are a great way to keep yourself motivated throughout the entire process because they remind you that even though change may take time, it is definitely possible!
9. Track Your Progress
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the changes we want to make in our lives which is why tracking our progress is key when trying to stick with our resolutions. Not only does tracking help us stay organized, but it also allows us see how far we have come since setting out on this journey; thus giving us more motivation and drive towards reaching our end goal faster! Whether you use an app or write everything down on paper—tracking your progress will help keep you focused on the task at hand and hopefully lead you towards success!
10. Renew Your Motivation
If you find yourself losing motivation, it’s important to take some time to step back and refocus on why you set these goals in the first place. Reminding yourself of the end goal can really help push you towards achieving it, as well as looking back at your progress so far and all that you have accomplished since starting.
11. Be Prepared for Setbacks
Lastly, it’s important to be prepared for setbacks. Life isn’t perfect and sometimes things don’t go as planned. This doesn’t mean that you need to give up on your resolutions entirely; instead, take this as an opportunity to re-evaluate and readjust your goals so that you can still reach them.
New Year’s resolutions don’t need to be overwhelming or unattainable; rather they should be seen as an opportunity for growth and self-discovery while still being realistic in terms of what can actually be achieved within a given timeframe. Remember that change takes time but if you’re willing to take baby steps while tracking your progress along the way then there’s nothing stopping you from creating a new version of yourself this year! So go ahead and embrace this fresh start by setting some achievable New Year’s resolutions—you won’t regret it!
Actionable Steps
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Allow yourself the time to think deeply and plan out your perfect year. Lay down on paper all of your aspirations, from what you would like to achieve professionally, personally, or spiritually – whatever feels right for YOU! Where will you go? Who do you wish to spend it with? How do these goals make you feel when visualizing them in detail? When dreaming up a marvelous year ahead of us, let’s not forget how we want our hearts and minds impacted as well. | Now that you’ve visualized your ideal year, what’s the one goal that stands out to you? This will be your driving force for the entire year. Make it a beacon of light and use it as motivation to reach success. | Consider how your comfort zone has been a roadblock for you. Brainstorm ideas to get out of it, and then take action by putting together a plan that will challenge you beyond measure. Start small with something manageable but still scary, and work your way up from there! |
Further Reading
1. Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals
2. Make This Your Best Year Ever
3. Your Best Year Yet!: Ten Questions for Making the Next Twelve Months Your Most Successful Ever
