New Year Resolutions - should you make them?
Hopefully, you are still in the midst of holiday cheer. Now that Christmas is behind us, it is time to focus on the New Year’s Eve celebrations and, you guessed it, New Year’s resolutions.
I am not a big fan of these, as often people end up making the same list year after year only to find themselves losing the motivation after a few weeks of effort. But, resolutions are not necessarily a bad thing and there are ways to make them successful.
First, there is a difference between a wish/want and an intention. Imagine one person saying: “I want to be healthy and feel great” and the second one: “I intend to be healthy and feel great.” Which one do you think is going to get healthy and feel great? Yep—the one who intends it. Wanting is simply wishing you can have or do a particular thing it. Intending means you’re committed to achieving something by making a plan for success—and sticking to it!
The key to intention is action. Try the following steps to really get clear on what you want and don’t forget about your WHY. Create a vision board by gathering images and words that pertain to your intention, and gluing them onto a large piece of construction paper. Hang the collage in a spot where you’ll see it often.
Once you have set the intention, it’s time to move onto GOALS. Make them SMART. So, if your intention is to be the best version of yourself, get healthy, increase your energy, and lose weight and one of your goals is to exercise, instead of saying: “I want to exercise more” opt for: “I want to go to the gym at least three times a week starting January 1st”. The second one is more specific and defined, which will allow you to take actionable steps toward reaching the goal.
SMART stands for:
SPECIFIC: Ask yourself: What do you want to accomplish? When? Where? Why? What requirements and constraints exist, if any?
MEASURABLE: How will you know when the goal is achieved?
ATTAINABLE: Make sure your goals align with your future vision and authentic self.
REALISTIC: What do you need to do to achieve the goal? Be honest with yourself about your available time and energy and plan accordingly. Make sure your goal is challenging enough to inspire and motivate you.
TIMELY: Anchor your goal with a deadline and create a calendar leading up to it with all the steps you need to take to reach your goal mapped out.
And, as you move towards your intention and accomplish your goals, don’t forget to celebrate your successes along the way!
Don’t wait!
Approaching the end of the year is a great time to take stock of where you are, where you are going and where you would like to go. So, set aside some quiet time for yourself and get creative imagining all that you desire for yourself and your loved ones. Consider turning it into a vision board of your life that will help you set SMART goals for the next year. And this is my wish for you.
Hello! I am Magda and I work with people that are ready to transform their health and wellbeing. What are your health goals that you have not been able to reach? Read more about me and my services.
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