New year new me. How many times have you heard that on New Year’s Day and just want to roll your eyes! If we are honest to ourselves, every day is a new day to start over and reach your goals. However, seeing as everyone seems to get on the bandwagon on January 1st, let’s discuss ways we can make these goals and actually stick to them this year.
Just like everything in life, going cold turkey or full throttle on your new year’s resolution is a sure-fire way for you to burn out by the start of February. The key to setting goals is to build habits that compliment and will help you achieve the goals. For instance, to help you lose weight its beneficial to start going to the gym. This means you may need to set your alarm an hour earlier so you can get up and go before work or the kids wake up. These habits are the building blocks to making change in your life.
Rather than promising to go to the gym five times a week, why not set your alarm an hour early four times a week and start by going for a walk.
Instead of quitting smoking cold turkey, why not start with leaving the cigarettes at home when you go out for a walk. Or leave them in the car when you get to/home from work.
The reason many people don’t reach their goals or break their new years resolutions is because the outcome or end point seems far away or unattainable at the start. Therefore, it’s easier to go back to old routines and familiar patterns. Building small habits into our daily lives is a more manageable way of working towards achieving those bigger goals.
Want to start eating healthier? Start by removing all bad food from the house. Freeze leftovers or additional meals for those nights when you won’t be home until late. The more we start doing these little things, the more it becomes a routine. How often do you have to think about putting on foot in front of the other when you walk? Prepare additional meals each Sunday and after a while it will become just like walking. It will become a part of your regular routine. Suddenly you have developed a habit that has you on your way to helping you achieve that goal to lose weight.
Reward yourself if need be. Every week you wake up early five times for some exercise reward yourself with a sleep in on the weekend or a nice bottle of wine. Keep a chart on the fridge and tick off each day you eat healthy. The point is; however, you decide to do it, hold yourself accountable. Even small habits take time to stick and the more in your face it seems, the bigger the reminder about what you want to achieve. Now go out there and get it done.