Happy New Year! Did you start 2019 with a resolution? Many people each year use the start of the new year and the new calendar to turn over a new leaf and vow to break old habits, make big changes and strive for things they have put off the previous year. The thing is, while it is a great idea to start the year with a fresh new idea, outlook, lifestyle plan, diet or attitude, the changes most of us want to make, are big changes, and we make big plans, with big expectations and most often have big failures after a short amount of time.
So how do you make a new years resolution work? The answer is not as hard as it seems. Break down what you want to achieve into small bite sized pieces. Set the one big goal, and then within that big goal, set incremental mini goals which are easy to achieve and manageable. Like stepping stones across a really big body of water. Don’t get disappointed by the small setbacks. Keep your eye on the bigger picture, all the while working away at the smaller goals you have set yourself. When something that is a big change, or a big project is set up in front of us, it can be daunting and when we have a small failure or setback we can lost sight of all we have achieved along the way. When you break the big thing in front of you into smaller pieces, one small setback is easier to process, therefore easier for us to overcome, move forward from, and continue toward our main goal and the bigger picture.
So if you have already made that new years resolution, rework it to your advantage, break it down and start moving towards what it is you have set out to achieve, be positive, be committed, and don’t lose hope if you have a couple of setbacks along the way.
If you haven’t set yourself a new year goal as yet, maybe now is the time to look at what it is you would like to achieve this year and what it was about last year you feel could be improved upon. You have the tools to make it happen. What have you got to lose?