New Year, Same me, BIGGER Dreams, and a Fresh START!
2020 is here! As you reflect on 2019, you think about all the things you could’ve done better, what regrets you may have, and what goals you may have for the year to come. You make your list of resolutions that may consist of the following:
- Working out
- Eating right/ Diet
- Saving money/ Budgeting
- Drinking more water
- Read one book a month
And the list goes on and on.
But for once, let’s look at this year as something different. Let’s stop trying to reinvent ourselves and improve the person we are and work towards who we want to be. Face it, having a list of 20 resolutions can be completely overwhelming. On average it takes 66 days ( 2 months) to form a new habit and 21 days to break one. Which explains why mid February, early March, people have fallen off the wagon.
So let’s take a different approach. This year I have decided to go about my resolutions a different way so, here are 3 ways to ensure you crush the new year!
- Make Monthly Goals/Resolutions
Let’s face it, that list that you have for the whole year can definitely be discouraging when it’s March and you’ve realized that you haven’t accomplished as much as you wanted too. So break it down! I made a list of things I want to do over the course of the year and then divided them up by month. This A) gave me a good look at what I really want to accomplish, B) helped me create a timeline on when I can complete these goals, and C) relieved to pressure of having to decide how I begin.
Dividing up by month also helped me put more appropriate goals in certain months. For example, I clean out my closet in January, May, August, and November that way I am helping myself declutter, keeping up with the change of the seasons, and I am able to donate those clothes which marks off 2 of my goals for this year.
- Declutter my closet
- Make donations to Goodwill
2. Have some form of a calendar
The important part about this is having a calendar that you will actually look at AND update. I use to be that person who always bought a planner thinking I was going to write in it when in reality, I NEVER DO! When I was in high school/ college, planners were my saving grace but, since I have joined the regular work force they just aren’t practical for my everyday life.
I have become more accustomed to using a dry erase wall calendar and creating tabs that are color coded and are monthly occurrences like Rent, Power/Cable bill, Church, grocery shopping, etc. I even schedule in “Self- Care Days” like nail appointments, washing my hair, and doing full skin car routines.
I also use my Google Calendar on my phone for events that are far out so that way I can add them to the calendar accordingly. This calendar is also color coded to match my dry erase calendar. Having these things marked not only remind me todo them but, ensures that I don’t over-schedule myself. For example, I know I will be at church from 10-11:30am every Sunday so I know not to schedule anything else during that time.
3. Re-evaluate
Things change and sometimes, that’s not a bad thing. In my calendar, I have reminders to re-evaluate my goals every 3 months. This is to see what goals we accomplished and which ones weren’t. It helps me assess if some of the goals I have are even necessary anymore. I think the re-evaluation step is the most important key to keeping your resolutions. Sometimes, resolutions aren’t needed anymore so, why crowd your list with things that won’t get done because of reasons out of your control.
Seeing what you did not achieve can be disheartening and can have a negative affect on your ability to follow through with your resolutions. You want to set yourself up to succeed so, let go of what can’t be done and move on.
Of course everything isn’t going to go your way, that’s just life. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t take control of your life to ensure that whatever direction it goes in, you are ready to adapt and can keep up. Remember…
No one is coming to save you, THIS life is 100% your responsibility. So take it and live it to the best of your ability.
Spilling the Beans 