How's that New Year's Resolution going??
January 1 is a popular time to make big changes! "New Year, New Me!" That may work for some people but for the majority, by the time January 31st rolls around, those resolutions are reso lost!
Never underestimate the strength of a win and how that feeling can set you up for larger changes over time. Each success emphasizes your progress — and those micro-benchmarks should be celebrated.
Rather than thinking this year is a bust, try these easier tactics:
1 FORGET JANUARY 1
Although the calendar provides that spring-loaded date as a jumping-off point, setting New Year’s Day as your starting line can be problematic, too. It tends to create more pressure, especially if you’ve had a busy holiday season and need some restorative time instead says Aaron Leventhal, NSCA certified personal trainer and owner of Fit Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Picking a more random, uncommon start day can be easier because it gives you more breathing room between the holiday frenzy and your resolutions. Pick something you can change today. Or maybe start on Monday (make President's Day your "New Year").
For instance, add that extra serving for one month. Then, when the next month rolls around, add two servings. Setting a specific timeline for each effort gives you more of a sense of progress than having an open-ended goal.
“To achieve an understanding of progress, you have to be able to measure how you’re doing, and time is a factor for that,” he says. “Without knowing how you’re changing week to week or over a month, it’s harder to set your next set of goals.”
Navy SEAL Admiral William McRaven has gained some measure of fame for his simple-but-powerful advice on how to change your life: Make your bed every morning.
Although this was paired with numerous other lessons about how to cultivate determination, compassion and discipline, the admiral’s main tactic emphasizes the importance of setting yourself up for the day by doing one quick, easy task that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment before you grab your first cup of coffee.
Can anyone relate??
Maybe you haven't acheived some big change yet. That is OK! Maybe you have learned something about yourself or discovered something else to be more important! Think about what you truly want in life and use that as every day motivation.
Never underestimate the strength of a win and how that feeling can set you up for larger changes over time. Each success emphasizes your progress — and those micro-benchmarks should be celebrated.
Rather than thinking this year is a bust, try these easier tactics:
1 FORGET JANUARY 1
Although the calendar provides that spring-loaded date as a jumping-off point, setting New Year’s Day as your starting line can be problematic, too. It tends to create more pressure, especially if you’ve had a busy holiday season and need some restorative time instead says Aaron Leventhal, NSCA certified personal trainer and owner of Fit Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Picking a more random, uncommon start day can be easier because it gives you more breathing room between the holiday frenzy and your resolutions. Pick something you can change today. Or maybe start on Monday (make President's Day your "New Year").
2 EMBRACE THE 24-HOUR RESOLUTION
Some resolutions are biggies, and that’s OK. Maybe this is the year you quit smoking, change your job, track all your food in MyFitnessPal, go to the gym three times a week or whatever major shift you have in mind. But even with those large-scale resolutions, success comes down to what you do today. That means breaking down your goal into an “end of day” win, suggests Dave Asprey, author of “The Bulletproof Diet.”
“You want a resolution that’s achievable and doesn’t require perfection and that requires you do something every single day to advance toward that goal,” he says. “Focusing on today is very helpful for avoiding procrastination, and more importantly, for dealing with what happens if you fail a little bit. It’s OK if that happens, because you start fresh tomorrow.”
“You want a resolution that’s achievable and doesn’t require perfection and that requires you do something every single day to advance toward that goal,” he says. “Focusing on today is very helpful for avoiding procrastination, and more importantly, for dealing with what happens if you fail a little bit. It’s OK if that happens, because you start fresh tomorrow.”
3 SET AN ENDPOINT
Two of the most common pieces of advice with goal setting are to make your mission doable and specific. For example, instead of saying, “I’m going to eat healthier,” it’s more helpful to first commit to adding one extra serving of vegetables per meal. Less common, though, is the directive to put a finish line on your goal.
Two of the most common pieces of advice with goal setting are to make your mission doable and specific. For example, instead of saying, “I’m going to eat healthier,” it’s more helpful to first commit to adding one extra serving of vegetables per meal. Less common, though, is the directive to put a finish line on your goal.
For instance, add that extra serving for one month. Then, when the next month rolls around, add two servings. Setting a specific timeline for each effort gives you more of a sense of progress than having an open-ended goal.
“To achieve an understanding of progress, you have to be able to measure how you’re doing, and time is a factor for that,” he says. “Without knowing how you’re changing week to week or over a month, it’s harder to set your next set of goals.”
4 CREATE MICRO SUCCESSES
Navy SEAL Admiral William McRaven has gained some measure of fame for his simple-but-powerful advice on how to change your life: Make your bed every morning.
Although this was paired with numerous other lessons about how to cultivate determination, compassion and discipline, the admiral’s main tactic emphasizes the importance of setting yourself up for the day by doing one quick, easy task that makes you feel a sense of accomplishment before you grab your first cup of coffee.
5 BE A FORTUNE TELLER
In the midst of change, it’s easy to think mainly about the process as you continue toward your goals. But there’s also considerable power in imagining you’re already past those initial goals, suggests Jen Sincero, author of “You Are a Badass.”
“Give your brain something to aim for,” she advises. “Visualization trains your mind in the same way that working out trains your body. You begin to crave those images of succeeding.”
Be as specific as possible when you imagine hitting your goals Sincero adds. For instance, if you have weight loss as a resolution, don’t just think about seeing a certain number on the scale. Instead, picture yourself in a fitting room, putting on a pair of pants a few sizes smaller than you currently wear and zipping them up comfortably — maybe even with a little room to spare.
In the midst of change, it’s easy to think mainly about the process as you continue toward your goals. But there’s also considerable power in imagining you’re already past those initial goals, suggests Jen Sincero, author of “You Are a Badass.”
“Give your brain something to aim for,” she advises. “Visualization trains your mind in the same way that working out trains your body. You begin to crave those images of succeeding.”
Be as specific as possible when you imagine hitting your goals Sincero adds. For instance, if you have weight loss as a resolution, don’t just think about seeing a certain number on the scale. Instead, picture yourself in a fitting room, putting on a pair of pants a few sizes smaller than you currently wear and zipping them up comfortably — maybe even with a little room to spare.
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