It's halfway through January: how are those New Years Resolutions going? Hitting the gym every day? Masterfully organizing your life? Being a better person? For some, New Years Resolutions are already kaput. Instead of making typical resolutions, try these better approaches to this traditional letdown!
- Set Small Goals
Skip the typically broad resolutions in favor of multi-level goals. For instance instead of the broad "lose weight", try breaking this resolution into milestones: eating two raw veggies a day, eating two raw fruits, walking 30 minutes…you get the idea. Make a chart and celebrate your accomplishments every day.
- Focus on What You Need Rather than What you Want
Do you need less clutter in your home to reduce anxiety and frustration? Can you reduce the clutter yourself, or do you need a professional organizer? Really look at what you need in your life and invest in the things that will make it happen. Do you need more time with friends to reconnect? Start making calls to establish a monthly girls outing or book club or restaurant night.
Related: Stressed, Frustrated, Angry? 5 Gentle Parenting New Year's Resolutions
- Try Something New
We all get stuck in ruts. Busy schedules find us reverting to the same six, easy dinner recipes. The car navigates itself to the same three restaurants and stores because we're most familiar with them. Challenge yourself to try something new each month: a new store, a new restaurant, a new park, a new activity. Maybe the whole family will discover a love for geocaching, volunteering, or spicy salsa!
- Use Your Village
It's hard to go through life alone. Rely on your village to help you maintain your motivation in the goals you've set for yourself. Sometimes, we're our own worst enemy. If your goal involves a healthier lifestyle, find a partner or two to workout with, share recipes with, go shopping with to keep you accountable for making healthy choices. Purging? Invite a friend over, open some wine, and stay on task until every closet holds half of what it formerly did. Planning a monthly get-together? Recruit a co-host to make sure it gets organized and to share some of the responsibility.
Related: Resolutions to Protect the Planet for our Kids: Waste Less. Act More. Be Prepared
- Allow Yourself to Let Go
Let go of the fear of trying and failing. If you fail in a goal initially, remind yourself that it's just part of the learning process. Maybe working out in the evenings won't be feasible: but now you know this and can consider changing up your workout goal by waking earlier for a morning workout or a mile walk during your lunch break. Let go of former failures; simply because something didn't work in the past doesn't mean it won't work now. Let go of any voices holding you back. Let go of negativity. Believe that you can do it and take the (small) steps to accomplish your new goals.
Remember: the key to changing behavior is to establish positive habitats. Research suggests that in order to successfully adopt a new habit, the new behavior must be repeated for at least a month. So keep at your goal until it becomes a habit--a habit you love!
