1. Aim small... At least at first!
It sounds bad, but you actually do NOT want to set your goals high when it comes to New Year's Resolutions. Do not aim higher than your ladder can reach! For example, if you want to lose weight and you are not someone who works out frequently, do not buy an expensive membership to a gym and tell yourself that you will work out every single day for an hour. This sounds awesome at first, but this is the fastest way to burn out on motivation! Start with small goals and give yourself room to breathe and relax! Choose to do small, in-home workouts for no longer than thirty minutes per day, with a few rest days. Then, you can add time, resistance, or variation to your routine! Setting your goals to something easily achievable will truly help them survive through January.
2. Reward, Reward, Reward!
Now, I am not saying go out and waste away your savings. Set reasonable and affordable rewards for yourself that will help motivate yourself to keep pursuing your goals. Also, set a specific time that you will reward yourself. Small rewards make things so much more worth it.
For example, one of this year's resolutions for me is that I will work on my appearance more often. For those that do not know me, I am a busy bee. The most I ever do for my appearance these days is maybe wear a nice blouse and put some mascara on. I want to feel pretty! So my goal is to wear something nice, with my hair and makeup all done up at least once a week. If I achieve this goal, I get to buy a new piece of makeup or article of clothing once per month. Not only does this reward me, but it also will be nicer on my wallet! I will no longer be allowing myself to spend money on unnecessary T-shirts I see on internet ads, but rather isolate my spending to one article per month. Seriously, give yourself a pat on the back. Otherwise, you will not feel motivated to keep going!
3. Have Reasonable Limits!
One of the biggest mistakes when it comes to New Year's Resolutions is setting too many goals. You start to get overwhelmed with all of the priorities you have made, that you end up dropping half, if not all, of those goals. Set one to three achievable goals for your year. You always have next year to set new goals! Rather than trying to change your life overnight, change it through steps. Do not try to start all of your goals at the same time. Stagger them so that, again, you do not get overwhelmed. As stated in the first point, do not aim too high with these goals. Limiting your goals down to three will seriously help you focus on getting a better you!
4. Be Specific!
Your long-term goals should also have short-term goals entwined into it. Be very specific with your short-term goals. Do not just say you want to eat healthier and walk away. State exactly what you want to do with it! This makes you feel more accomplished, because you will be achieving goals as you aim for your long-term goal. Figure out small ways to organize your goal. You will thank yourself for it in the long run! Being specific with short-term goals will make it easier to motivate yourself towards that end prize.
5. Write it Down!
Everyone has their own ways of outlining, but I have provided an outline below of my own New Year's Resolutions for 2017! Outlining what you want to accomplish, your goals, and ways you will reward yourself on paper seals the deal. You can also publish your outline on social media or share it with someone so that you have someone keeping you accountable. The process to my madness is simple: First, list the three things that you want to accomplish. At this point, don't worry about being specific. This is just to give you a better idea of what to go for. Next, make a list of long-term goals within the topic you are focusing on. For example, I want to be more physically fit, but specifically, I want a flat tummy and a Kim K booty (Not really, have you seen her butt?! Looks uncomfortable...). After you establish those, make a list of short-term goals. These are the things you will do to achieve your long-term goals. So, to get a flatter tummy and Kim K booty, I am going to attend one of the free fitness classes at my school during the year. Finally, make a list of your rewards and specific times that you will reward yourself. This keeps you accountable for treating yourself. If you are anything like me, I spend lots of money on my boyfriend without blinking an eye. But when I want to buy a McDouble, I tell myself that I am being extravagant. Treat yo'self!!! Now, without further ado, my resolution outline:
Things I want to change:
1. Get that hot bod.
2. Complain less.
3. Dress up more often.
COMMITMENT #1: Be more physically fit.
Long-term goals:
a. Finish the Amerithon Challenge by July 2018.
b. Get that flat tummy and Kim K booty.
c. Run Tough Mudder!
What I will do (Short-term goals):
a. Attend at least 1 GCU fitness class during school semesters, regardless of lack of time.
b. Run in at least one event per three months.
c. Set aside time to go running, swimming, cycling, or hiking at least three times per week.
d. Eat at least 2 salads for lunch or dinner every week.
e. Eat one piece of fruit every day.
f. Eat less sugar and carbs.
g. Eat more lean meat and organics.
Rewards:
a. cheat meals once per week, Breakfast/lunch/dinner (NOT all on same day!!)
COMMITMENT #2: Complain less.
Long-term goals:
a. Stop complaining as much and just enjoy life!
b. Be more optimistic!
What I will do:
a. Stop Facebook ranting. ONLY fill Facebook with the good.
b. Start a blog about the good, funny, and interesting things.
c. Use a complaint bracelet to keep track of complaining.
Rewards:
a. A happier life!
b. I get a blog! :D
COMMITMENT #3: Dress up more often.
Long-term goals:
a. Look nicer.
b. Feel better.
What I will do:
a. Wear something nice, with makeup and hair at least once per week.
b. Try new hair styles and makeup routines at least once a month.
Rewards:
a. Every month, you get a new makeup or NICE outfit to wear
With all of this in mind and a little bit of motivation, you can make those pesky resolutions stick! Try your best. If at first you fail, that is okay. Just take a breath and edit your goals a bit. Nothing ever goes as planned, so take "failure" with a grain of salt. The fact that you are trying means that you have the heart to change your life. You can do it! I believe in you!
---
Thank you for reading! Did this post help you? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments! Have a wonderful day! 💜
One of the biggest mistakes when it comes to New Year's Resolutions is setting too many goals. You start to get overwhelmed with all of the priorities you have made, that you end up dropping half, if not all, of those goals. Set one to three achievable goals for your year. You always have next year to set new goals! Rather than trying to change your life overnight, change it through steps. Do not try to start all of your goals at the same time. Stagger them so that, again, you do not get overwhelmed. As stated in the first point, do not aim too high with these goals. Limiting your goals down to three will seriously help you focus on getting a better you!
4. Be Specific!
Your long-term goals should also have short-term goals entwined into it. Be very specific with your short-term goals. Do not just say you want to eat healthier and walk away. State exactly what you want to do with it! This makes you feel more accomplished, because you will be achieving goals as you aim for your long-term goal. Figure out small ways to organize your goal. You will thank yourself for it in the long run! Being specific with short-term goals will make it easier to motivate yourself towards that end prize.
5. Write it Down!
Everyone has their own ways of outlining, but I have provided an outline below of my own New Year's Resolutions for 2017! Outlining what you want to accomplish, your goals, and ways you will reward yourself on paper seals the deal. You can also publish your outline on social media or share it with someone so that you have someone keeping you accountable. The process to my madness is simple: First, list the three things that you want to accomplish. At this point, don't worry about being specific. This is just to give you a better idea of what to go for. Next, make a list of long-term goals within the topic you are focusing on. For example, I want to be more physically fit, but specifically, I want a flat tummy and a Kim K booty (Not really, have you seen her butt?! Looks uncomfortable...). After you establish those, make a list of short-term goals. These are the things you will do to achieve your long-term goals. So, to get a flatter tummy and Kim K booty, I am going to attend one of the free fitness classes at my school during the year. Finally, make a list of your rewards and specific times that you will reward yourself. This keeps you accountable for treating yourself. If you are anything like me, I spend lots of money on my boyfriend without blinking an eye. But when I want to buy a McDouble, I tell myself that I am being extravagant. Treat yo'self!!! Now, without further ado, my resolution outline:
Things I want to change:
1. Get that hot bod.
2. Complain less.
3. Dress up more often.
COMMITMENT #1: Be more physically fit.
Long-term goals:
a. Finish the Amerithon Challenge by July 2018.
b. Get that flat tummy and Kim K booty.
c. Run Tough Mudder!
What I will do (Short-term goals):
a. Attend at least 1 GCU fitness class during school semesters, regardless of lack of time.
b. Run in at least one event per three months.
c. Set aside time to go running, swimming, cycling, or hiking at least three times per week.
d. Eat at least 2 salads for lunch or dinner every week.
e. Eat one piece of fruit every day.
f. Eat less sugar and carbs.
g. Eat more lean meat and organics.
Rewards:
a. cheat meals once per week, Breakfast/lunch/dinner (NOT all on same day!!)
COMMITMENT #2: Complain less.
Long-term goals:
a. Stop complaining as much and just enjoy life!
b. Be more optimistic!
What I will do:
a. Stop Facebook ranting. ONLY fill Facebook with the good.
b. Start a blog about the good, funny, and interesting things.
c. Use a complaint bracelet to keep track of complaining.
Rewards:
a. A happier life!
b. I get a blog! :D
COMMITMENT #3: Dress up more often.
Long-term goals:
a. Look nicer.
b. Feel better.
What I will do:
a. Wear something nice, with makeup and hair at least once per week.
b. Try new hair styles and makeup routines at least once a month.
Rewards:
a. Every month, you get a new makeup or NICE outfit to wear
With all of this in mind and a little bit of motivation, you can make those pesky resolutions stick! Try your best. If at first you fail, that is okay. Just take a breath and edit your goals a bit. Nothing ever goes as planned, so take "failure" with a grain of salt. The fact that you are trying means that you have the heart to change your life. You can do it! I believe in you!
---
Thank you for reading! Did this post help you? Have any questions? Let me know in the comments! Have a wonderful day! 💜
