If you’ve heard the phrase, “New Year, New Me” then you are familiar with New Year’s Resolutions. Setting resolutions can be a great way to achieve a lifelong goal you’ve always wanted to do or to try something new. Many adults New Year’s resolutions involve incorporating more exercise into our lives or staying hydrated. However, too often do we lose sight of our goals and the motivation to achieve them. Can’t think of any resolutions to set this year? Check out SOPHE staff’s resolution below!
1. Be honest with yourself and make reasonable goals:
Be honest, how many times have you set a goal for yourself but knew you didn’t have the bandwidth to complete it. Or, set a goal so far out of reach that achieving it seemed impossible, leading you to give up? While it’s one thing to set objectives for ourselves, it’s another thing to go about the day to day actions of making strides to complete them. When setting resolutions, think of them as SMART goals: (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound).
Saying that you want to lose weight isn’t enough… how much weight do you want to lose and how much time are you giving yourself? Do these two factors make for an achievable goal? Setting clear expectations for yourself provides a well lit path to success.
2. Arrange your environment for success and set a routine:
A surgeon wouldn’t go to work without the proper tools, and neither should you. Preparing your environment could mean a number of things, depending on your goal, but ultimately it looks like setting yourself up for success. If your new year’s resolution is to drink more water, then perhaps getting yourself a fancy new water bottle is how you arrange your environment. Not to mention it helps the environment too ;).
The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine. To quote Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act, but a habit.” Creating a routine such as setting a reminder on your phone to drink water first thing in the morning, is one step to forming the habits that become a part of your daily life.
3. Record your progress and make yourself accountable:
There really is an app for everything. Find one that works for you. Let’s face it, you’re on your phone anyway… why not make that time productive. There are plenty of weight, fitness,calorie, and water trackers out there. In this age of connectivity, there’s a chance that a friend is probably using those apps too. It’s easier to stay motivated when you’re not alone and you can keep each other accountable too!
4. Celebrate your success:
If you reach a new personal record, savings goal, or however you’re measuring your success it’s important to take the time to celebrate it! Dreams don’t work unless you do, and you’ve completed the steps to get there. The great thing about positive news is that it’s contagious… sharing your success story will help motivate others to stay the course and inspire them to keep going.
In honor of New Year’s Resolution Week, the SOPHE staff is sharing their new year’s resolutions:
- Read more books
- Be more present and spend less time on the phone
- Get on track with nutrition
- Go back to church
- Spend more time outdoors
- Go to hot yoga
