It is now 2019.
Welcome!
Maybe it’s 12:01am or 8:30 in the morning or 1:00 in the afternoon. Whatever the time is when you wake up, you know it’s a new year and a new start. If you’re like me, you’ve likely developed resolutions, just as you have many years before.
And you, if you’re like me, may soon abandon or forget these resolutions, just as you have many years before.
BUT – there’s a reason why you always fall short on your resolutions. Resolutions are meant to be goals.
Do you ever approach them in this way? You set a goal for yourself for the new year, but do you ever work hard to execute your goal and figure out ways to maintain it? If not, you’re missing two things.
The key to achieving your New Year’s Resolutions?
Planning and discipline.
As French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupéry once said,
A goal without a plan is just a wish.
Have you just been wishing this whole time? It’s okay – for the most part I have been too. But now, I’ve devised a system that I think can help.
Ways to plan your resolution:
Visualization: if you want an A in every class, visualize yourself not only receiving tests back with a bright red, encircled A, but also taking the actions necessary to get there – visualize yourself studying, visualize yourself staying after with teachers and going to the library…
What you think, you become.
Buddha
Scheduling: you’ll need to adapt your lifestyle to your new resolution. If your goal is to achieve a healthy weight, schedule in morning runs, weekend hikes, or late-night gym excursions.
(Visual) Reminders: after you develop a schedule that works for you, WRITE. IT. DOWN. You may remember it more clearly, and every time you see the schedule you’re trying to maintain, you’ll be both reminded and motivated. Place your schedule/routine somewhere you can see it, too.
“Equip” Yourself: just as some runners train for marathons, you’re training yourself to achieve this goal. Thus, you’ll need the right “equipment.” If you’re looking to loose weight, develop a healthy diet and BUY THE FOOD(S) YOU NEED. If you want to become more organized at school, “equip” yourself with the pencils and paper you need, develop a system of organization that works for you… CONVENIENCE IS KEY, and if you feel that you already have what you need to accomplish your goal, you’ll be more likely to work toward it.
**Set Reasonable Deadlines and MINI GOALS.**
PLAN to go to the gym twice a week, or eat vegetables for at least one meal for one month. Small goals BOOST motivation.
Take Action: there is no time like the present. Don’t procrastinate. Circumstances will never be perfect, and you can’t wait around for things to go exactly how you plan. Try your best to work toward your goal each day.
H o w e v e r . . .
The planning you do is USELESS without DISCIPLINE.
You must be serious about maintaining a plan to achieve your resolution. It’s okay to have bad days, as long as you…
Try your best.
That’s all you can ask of yourself.
You must be patient with yourself – with your mind and your body – you must be gentle and persevere.
Good luck with your resolution(s)! You can do this. Positive affirmations are key. We’re in this together.
Let me know below what some of your resolutions are! Have a beautiful 2019!
Smarts and Sparkles 