The New Year brings along with it expectations of a better you or a better year, an overhaul. Learning from your mistakes in 2017, you want to kick off 2018 the right way, right? The easy part is making our goals the harder side of things is sticking to them. If your keen to keep kicking goals we got you covered. Below are some tips to ensure your goals follow you through to the later months of the year.
Give it a go
So you’re in the thick of your New Years resolutions, congratulations, you made it this far. All kale salads and wine free evenings, what a life. Keep it interesting and add a little something new to your routine. If fitness and well-being is your resolution pursuit of choice, try a new class or pace your way through a new running route. If you like it stick to it if you don’t, find something else that gets you moving. This goes for intellectual pursuits or money saving goals, trial out a new trick to keep you on track. You may just fall in love with the new habit and tick that try new things mantra off the list while you’re at it.
Plan
Whether it’s a holiday you’ve been desperate to go on or fitness goals you want to reach the best way to start is to write down your intentions. And now you’re well on your way have a little review, see just how far you’ve come. Pull out that 2017 diary you bought with the best intentions and log your success. Seeing it in action will spur you to keep it up and putting pen to paper gives you a visual perspective of where you want to be.
Next step
With the determination to start the year out strong, you may find by the six-week mark it’s as if you never began your New Year’s resolution at all. The biggest mistake is thinking results come immediately, we all need a measure of patience. Whether saving for your holiday means putting away a portion of your paycheck weekly or only three days at the gym per week the smaller the initial goal the more you can increase your will-power to commit to that goal. The more you work at it step by step you fill find your goals becoming apart of your usual routine and therefore easier to maintain long term. Now you’ve come this far step it up to level two and see just how far you can push yourself.
Take each day as an opportunity
Just because you said you would do it doesn’t mean you have to restrict yourself. Always have your goal in mind but mix it up a little. Maybe you spent a little too much on lunch yesterday and that meant less money to put towards your holiday, that’s fine. Not the end of the world. Just next week take your tuna and rice to work instead. Your goals should be able to be compromised a little, although they are fixed for the year don’t let them be so regimented that you can’t leave any room for spontaneity. Much more likely to fall off the wagon if it’s too strict to maintain.
Don’t be discouraged
If you have put your New Year goals into place remember that is the first step. Don’t be upset if now, a few weeks in you haven’t achieved what you expected to. You are setting yourself up for failure if you have too high expectations. Success takes time and sometimes you can get caught up in the incremental setbacks.
Feel empowered
It takes courage and enthusiasm to keep up New Year goals. Whenever you are in doubt of your decision remind yourself that you’re doing this for you. The who is struggling is the same person who was keen to put the goal in place originally. Reward yourself by mentally reminding yourself that you can do anything you put your mind to. Be confident in your goal. Maybe write inspirational quotes in your diary weekly to keep you on track. If it’s a fitness goal, find a gym buddy or money saving intentions, aim for an extra tenner in the bank this week! A part of feeling empowered is to give yourself a little congratulations on your journey so far. Pats on the back all arounds
Image source: The Upside Sport.
