You make your New Year's resolution
with the best of intentions. So why do you have so much trouble
keeping it?
Many of us want to get motivated to exercise, lose weight, stop smoking or some similar self-improvement goal. We really want the benefits of the change we desire, but achieving that goal may feel monumental. So how can we achieve success and keep our New Year's resolution? When I work with my clients, the first things we do is establish goals for success!
- Set a well-defined, positive goal that's time-specific. Saying you will “lose weight” is not enough. Make the goal to lose ten pounds in the next three months. You can always set another goal when you attain that one and you will feel so good.
- Make your goal something that can be measured. “I will exercise is too vague” and can't be measured. A better goal would be, “I will exercise three times a day for one half hour.”
- Set an achievable, realistic goal. You will get discouraged quickly if it seems out of reach or if you don't see immediate results. Take small steps and get into the “habit” of succeeding.
- Enlist the help of family, friends, children, parents and co-workers. Let them know what you are doing. Get support, encouragement and an expectation of results.
- Reward yourself for success.
Once you have established a well-defined goal, there will be moments in the process that cause you to feel challenged. We all feel challenged sometimes, but quitting doesn't have to be the result. Stress, old habits, busy schedules and many other factors can cause us to feel like giving up or not take the time to succeed. Meditation and self-hypnosis are two ways in which to support yourself while you are working to attain your goal. Take the time to relax and unwind so you are equipped to meet any challenges that may come you way. If you have a bad day, go back to the goal, don't abandon it.
It takes time to establish new, positive habits to replace our old habits (28 days), so give yourself the time, effort and planning it takes to get the results you desire. If weight is the issue, then plan ahead and make a beautiful lunch to take with you instead of eating out of the candy machine at the last minute. If you are looking to exercise and your can't “find the time” then pair it with another activity, such as walking with a friend or child during a discussion or at an event. Find ways to make it happen.
Feeling like you are “worth the effort” is a personal challenge for many people with busy lives, but the benefits far outweigh the effort. Find ways to succeed for the New Year. It will be a new habit that will serve you well in many ways throughout 2015.
