Here we are again….the beginning of January and all the possibilities of the new year are stretched out in front of us. We can close the chapter on the previous year and start fresh. Will this be the year that your New Year’s desires stick? Research shows that while many people may set a New Year’s resolution less than 25% of people maintain them for the first 30 days and less than 8% accomplish their resolution. Those are dismal odds! What if you could increase your chance of achieving and sustaining your New Year’s Resolution? How would your life be different? What would it mean to you? Tired of the same old thing, try these steps and begin the path to New Year’s success and make 2019 look different.
- What is your Vision?
- No, I am not talking about something to do with a business plan….Do you have a vision for yourself? What does your best self look like? Are you more rested, thinner, eating fruit every day? Do you want to learn a new skill, how to manage money, or would you like to take more time with your kids? Many people miss this important step and tend to set resolutions based on what someone else has told them they should “fix” instead of looking inward to what they truly desire. Your vision has to be linked to internal motivators and not to trying to please others for long term success.
- What is your Why?
- Why do you want to change? Why is that important? Finding your why will remind you when you want to quit or when the road gets hard why you started down this path to begin with and increase your chances of staying on track.
- What is your goal?
- Instead of setting a resolution, try goal setting instead. Goals are specific, actionable and measurable. They help you put parameters in place and should align with your Vision and Why. Break down large goals into small manageable chunks. Limit yourself to 2-3 goals to start with so that you don’t get overwhelmed and can stay focused.
- What are your barriers?
- This is another important part of sticking with a goal. Identify potential barriers that may make it difficult to stick with your goal. Think about strategies that may help you overcome the barrier ahead of time. This will empower you when a roadblock appears because you have already prepared for it.
- What support do you need?
- Support is key to long term success and can be in variety of forms. Do you need support by increasing your knowledge in something (i.e. classes, book), do you need the support of a person (friend, spouse, wellness coach, etc) do you need accountability (signing up for a race, joining a group, virtual tracker or app). Research shows we are like the 5 people we spend the most time with. If you think about those 5 people, do they support our wellness goals or do they create a barrier? If they create a barrier, find support in the ways listed above.
Are these tips fool proof? Do they guarantee success? Unfortunately not, you still have to put in the work. News Alert!!! There is no quick fix and anything that claims quick results usually means that once you stop doing whatever it is, the thing you tried to fix comes back. There will always be a bad day or something will come up that may derail your plans, but by following this guide there will be more successful days than not and over time you have to give little thought to your new behavior because it will become part of how you live everyday. Could you use a little more support or would benefit from someone devoted to your needs and will help guide you? Does goal setting intimidate you? A health coach bridges the gap between ideas and action and will get you moving on the right path to success.
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