5 Tips To Help With Setting Successful New Year's Resolutions
posted: Jan. 29, 2021.
5 Tips To Help With Setting Successful New Year’s Resolutions
The beginning of the year is a hopeful time. When January hits there is a sense of a fresh new beginning. We review what we are wishing to accomplish in the months ahead. Yet as the year starts to unfold, we often revert back to old habits and fail to review and work towards those changes we were wanting to make and things we wanted to accomplish. To make sure this year is different here are some helpful goals setting tips that can help increase your motivation to make some changes to improve your life.
1. Make Goals That Are Meaningful to You
Many people’s resolutions fail because they are not the right resolutions for them. Too often people set goals based on what they think they “should” do based on family, friends or cultural pressures. It’s important to sit and think about what will truly add value to your life and help you access greater feelings of well-being and success personally.
2. SMART Goals:
Often people fail to accomplish their resolutions because they are too vague and there is no realistic plan put in place to achieve them. Goals should be SMART which means they are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. It can be helpful to break down your larger goals into smaller SMART goals that you can work to achieve throughout the year to help build motivation and momentum towards the final year goal.
3. Write Them Down and Review Them
Don’t just think about your goals in your head, write them down and review them. When you can see your goals written out it impacts how you will act. It also makes you more productive as you can see clearly outlined in front of you what you need to do instead of just thinking about it. This also decreases your stress, improves your motivation and helps you track your progress.
Neuroscience also shows that when you write out your goal you are more likely to achieve it due to the encoding process that occurs through writing.
4. Avoid Comparisons
When you are working to improve your life and accomplish your goals it is common to compare yourself to others. Although this often naturally occurs you do not want to get lost in the thoughts that others are superior, better or more privileged than you in some way. Social media also does not help as your “newsfeed” floods you with images of people who are getting married, finding new love, friendships, weight loss, new careers, travel and you begin to feel worse and worse about yourself.
When you feel yourself going down the comparison rabbit hole take a step back and recognize that everyone's journey is different. The more time to you spend comparing yourself to others the less time and energy you will have to work on yourself. Be compassionate with yourself and work to follow your own path.
5. Enjoy The Process:
Life is meant to be enjoyed. If you do not celebrate and notice the small successes and good moments in life as you move towards your goals, you are missing out. Life is a journey and it’s important to enjoy the ride and not just be focused on the end goal.
There is a false belief that many people adopt that tells them they will be happy once they meant their goals but often find when they get there they are not, this is because they denied themselves the joy of the pursuit of growing and learning. You are meant to enjoy the whole process. Choose happiness now and your goals will be realized even faster.
Hyperlinks
https://www.smartsheet.com/blog/essential-guide-writing-smart-goals