At the start of every year we hear the same thing, “what’s your New Year’s resolution?” Just this question alone brings anxiety, stress, and fear in many of us. We hear that resolutions are silly and dumb. We hear that they are unattainable goals. To lose weight, to become more financially sound, quit smoking, to spend more time with your family, whatever your resolutions are, they are always attainable as long as you have the confidence in yourself. Here are a few tips and tricks to get yourself ready for the best year of your life!
Start Small and Be Specific
If your goal is to lose 20 lbs this year, not spend as much money, or quit smoking, you have the same goals as much of the population. So why do so many people fail each year come February? And by May, we forget what our resolution even was to begin with! These goals aren’t small. Losing weight is the number one new year’s resolution year after year. In order to achieve this goal, and the same principles follow in any goal, you must start small. You need a plan of attack. First, you must write down your ultimate goal. If you want to lose 20 lbs, change that 20 lbs to ½ lb per week – which is 2 lbs per month and ends up being 24 lbs for the year! Then you should write down all of the possible ways you are going to get to your goal – be specific! If you’re going to exercise, in what way? If you’re going to eat healthier, what healthy recipes are you going to use? For example, Chobani has put together the below infographic which illustrates 10 way to burn 100 calories. You can walk your dog for 26 minutes or even go shopping for 38 minutes! The small but specific ideas will help you accomplish your resolutions one step at a time.
Quit Avoiding the Doctor
The healthcare industry has grown exponentially over the past thirty years. Preventative care, medical tests, and treatment options have completely revolutionized our health and well-being. With that being said, perhaps this year is the year you actually see a doctor, if only for a basic examination and checkup. While medical costs can be quite staggering, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has created affordable health insurance coverage for everybody, regardless of income. Subsidies and tax breaks have alleviated the financial burden of healthcare costs for many citizens. Let this year be your healthiest year yet. Schedule an appointment with your doctor, and not just once, but regularly. After all, they’re there to help!
Celebrate Small Victories
You want to become more financially sound this year. You typically spend money on things you don’t need and you really want to tighten your reigns. You’ve set your specific goals and are on your way, starting small – say you save $5/week. In one month you have $25! Celebrate yourself! Brag to your significant other or a friend or family member! Knowing how good you feel about saving will help them root you on toward bigger, long-term goals. Writing down your achievements in your daily calendar will allow you to see how far you’ve come and reiterate in your mind what you want to achieve. If it’s bigger than saving $5 – maybe you cut down on eating out a certain number of days during the week, celebrate by taking yourself out to your favorite restaurant at the end of a two-week period. Don’t over-indulge, but allow this to be a special treat.
Talk It Out and Work As a Team
If you want to exercise more or you want to quit smoking, work with a partner to set goals and get things done! Your significant other might be the most convenient and it may even strengthen your relationship. If not, choose a friend or coworker to work with. Say you are a month in to your new workout regimen and you feel like you aren’t seeing results and you want to quit. Find a buddy, whoever it may be, and work alongside them. Commit to exercising with this person or having a workout schedule that you can talk about at the end of the week. You want to quit smoking but you’ve tried and failed before? Start small, day by day, and week by week. Celebrate each day by telling yourself you’ve made it through the day. Challenge yourself and keep busy. Plan a road trip for a weekend in the upcoming month and write down everything you’d like to do – ex. See a national site, hike a different mountain, go rollerblading in a new park. Achieving even small goals with a friend will allow your mind and body to work more effectively and cut down on stress and anxiety.
Reflection
Reflect on the past. Look at the past week, month, two months, and year. Note where you were in these specific times and how you felt about yourself and where you were at then and now. Hopefully, getting out and getting your personal goals accomplished will allow you to become more at peace with who you are and who you want to be. Any time you have the opportunity to write down a new goal and plan of action, do it! Once you write down a goal, set a time limit to achieve this goal in small batches, attainable to you and your schedule. Eventually, maybe even by next year, keeping your new year’s resolution won’t seem like such a hassle and you’ll be excited to start a new chapter in your life.
This post is sponsored by Chobani.
Very helpful article! I will definitely keep the infographic in mind when working towards my New Years resolution!