The most common New Year's Resolutions goals are centered around eating healthier and losing weight/exercising more.
Every year, during the month of January, and sometimes a few weeks into February, gyms are way more crowded than any other time of the year. But that dies down pretty quickly—like within 3 to 4 weeks. It's literally common knowledge that gyms will be busier after 1/1, and that the increase in traffic will dwindle back down to the normal numbers by the end of the month.
It's sad, but most people don't stick to their New Year's Resolutions. I actually read somewhere that, on average, only 8-12% of people end up actually accomplishing their Resolutions. THAT'S SO SAD.
So, how come?
More than likely: because they don't plan it out.
You can't just make your goals for the new year that night & expect to be successful.
Setting goals, especially when it comes to health/fitness/wellness, is a big change for a lot of people. Big changes take a ton of work and planning. You get the physical results that you're striving for from a change in mindset, behavior, priorities, etc. And making changes psychologically...that's not an easy thing to do.
So, planning out HOW you will achieve your goals is a must.
Let's get into some tips for sticking to New Year's Resolutions:
Tip #1. Reflect back on the last year & let that serve as inspiration to get better for the year to come.
Think about what brought you the most joy this past year, what you absolutely never want to experience again, what you did and didn't accomplish that you were hoping to, how you grew as a person, etc. Think about all those things and write them down so you can look them over and use those answers as a guide to build off of for the coming year.
Tip #2. Visualize what you want the next year/your future to look like.
How do you want to grow as a person? How would you like to provide value to people? What positive changes do you want to make for your life? Why are your goals important? What is the ONE goal, above everything else, that you want to achieve in the new year and how will it serve you? etc. Visualize and get detailed!
Tip #3. Physically write down your goals in a journal or somewhere you can reflect back to.
I LOVE to do this. Writing both short and long-term goals down somewhere that I can refer back to keeps me going in the right direction. I always go back to my journal whenever I'm feeling a little down or in the "what am I even doing all of this for" mood. It serves as a reminder for me of what my 'why' or purpose is. And, it totally serves as another form of accountability.
Tip #4. Get as specific as you can.
When you're writing down your New Year's Resolutions, don't just put "get healthier".
Be S P E C I F I C. What does healthier look like to you? Does that mean working out more? Or moving more throughout your day and being more active whenever/wherever you can? Does that mean eating better?—maybe less fried food or takeout? Does that mean a healthier, more positive mindset? You might try meditation to help you improve your mental health, etc.
Details, details, details.
Tip #5. Plan out the 'taking action' details.
Again, time to get specific here. Once you write down your resolutions, go through each one and list out the specific actions, activities, etc. you will hold yourself to doing daily, weekly, and monthly to achieve each goal.
For example, if one of your resolutions is to lose 20 pounds by the end of the year...what activities will you do to get you there?—Will you workout 4+ days a week? What kind of workouts will you do? Will you hire a trainer or try to get a workout buddy to do it with you? What will your diet look like? What kinds of foods will you eat? What kinds of foods will you avoid? Will you cook your own meals? Will you meal prep whenever possible?, etc.
Not to purposely sound like a broken record, BUT...details, details, details.
Tip #6. Do it & be CONSISTENT.
If you have your resolutions written down and you have all the specifics listed out and your game plan for how you'll achieve them, then you're ready. It's time to DO.
You can feel super motivated to get after those resolutions on 1/1, and then for a few weeks, maybe even a month or two; but if you go balls to the wall and end up feeling burnt out and frustrated because you don't see the results you want within the first month or so, that motivation can quickly spiral downhill.
So, use your daily and weekly intentions, activities, etc. that you listed out to achieve your goals to your advantage here. Follow those CONSISTENTLY and the results will come as a byproduct. Actions, consistency, and patience are vital for success.
Tip #7. Take responsibility & hold yourself accountable.
You're not going to achieve any goal by others wanting it for you...you have to want it and earn it yourself. You can't be making excuses 24/7, & you have to be honest with yourself. If you know you struggle with holding yourself accountable, get yourself an accountability partner! If that partner has similar aspirations, that's great—you can hold each other accountable! And if they don't, make sure it's someone that truly has your best interest at heart and will call you out when you're not sticking to script!
Immerse yourself in a positive environment, surround yourself with supportive, like-minded humans, & don't be afraid of saying no to the things/people that steer you away from your goals.
Positive changes are rarely easy, but they're ALWAYS worth it.
...keep in mind that you may slip up or fall off track a little bit every once in a while, but that's normal & that's no reason to give up! Don't dwell on it—recognize it, but then get yourself right back on track. THAT is how you will prosper & become successful!
NEW YEAR, LET'S DO THIS!
xo Mackenzie.
Comments