We know it all too well! New Year always promises new beginnings and the feeling of a clean slate. But does it deliver? Well, the answer to this question, unfortunately, prompts us to look deep inside ourselves: it’s not New Year that can change our bad habits and turn them into good ones, it’s us. Or at least it should be us. But it’s common to decide we will change our lives right after midnight, only to end up at the same place we were. How can we make our New Year’s resolution reality? And can we? Yes, of course. The point is choosing only several goals and come up with an action plan to serve as a guide and a reminder throughout the year. Here are our suggestions for this action plan that will guide you right to success!
Be Realistic
If you don’t do any sports, it’s highly unlikely you will compete at the next Olympics. However, you can start working out several times a week and contribute to your new looks and feels. Similarly, if you are always struggling with deadlines, you probably won’t become the queen of organisation out of the blue – but you can change some of the things dragging you down each time. Think carefully about the things you would like to change, but stay realistic. We don’t want to convince you that you shouldn’t want to change – but if you decide to flip everything 180 degrees, it probably won’t be sustainable. Be realistic about who you are and what you can achieve. After all, you know yourself best.
Don’t Go Overboard
This goes together with being realistic but in another realm. By going overboard, we mean taking up too many resolutions that will ultimately leave you overwhelmed and tired as soon autumn kicks in early March. Not to mention that you won’t be motivated to continue with this practice! Keep your goals sweet and short. For example, commit to one month of gym or yoga. That seems easier than a whole year! Yet when you finish that one month, you’ll probably continue.
Set Up Small, Measurable Goals Instead of Big Ones
This is the mistake many people make. What does it mean exactly? Well, people tend to translate their ideas of good life into goals and then get stuck not knowing what to do. For example, “get fit” can mean so many different things for different people. But if you translate it to small and realistic goals such as “visit gym three times a week in January and February”, “take lunches from home” and “skip dessert on weekdays”, that’s something.
On a similar note, “get healthy” is vague and big. “Get an appointment with gynaecologist” instead. Start caring about your dental health, and do that by scheduling an appointment and thinking about all the questions you want to ask your dentist. Blacktowndental group dentists, for example, will be happy to address your doubt and work with you on getting the most beautiful smile ever.
Be Kind to Yourself
This should also apply to all areas of life, not only resolution making. But especially here you need to be patient. Change takes time, and you need to remember that every time you start feeling as if you’re going nowhere. If you’re doing everything right, there’s no reason to think so! Have faith, be patient, and be kind to yourself. If you’re on the right track, everything will be fine. Just persist. You’re doing great!
Track Your Progress
Finally, to know where you are at any given time, and to see whether you’re indeed going where you should, or cutting corners – you need to track your progress. This can range from checking in with yourself in your diary whether you ate a home-made meal as many times you said you would, to being devoted and tracking how stronger and leaner you get every week. This can be a great way to push you forward even when you feel like skipping it this time. Seeing how far you’ve come is a powerful motivator, so use it to your advantage. It’s something like gifting yourself extra energy for those evenings when you don’t feel like moving from the couch – one look at your calendar where you track your progress will convince you it’s a pity to stop the streak!
We hope you’ve made truly meaningful resolutions that will help you on the journey of becoming a better you. Follow our advice, and in no time you’ll be halfway there. The other half is up to you. Good luck!
