How to Set and Keep Your New Year's Resolution
It's that time of year again. When the clock strikes midnight and the New Year begins, many of us see it as an opportunity to start fresh and create a brand new self. This is all well and good until about mid-February (or sooner), when life suddenly kicks back into gear, stress bogs us down and those fabulous goals that once seemed so attainable suddenly seem like impossible dreams.
As an integrative nutrition health coach, this is something I regularly see with my clients at the start of each year. And though it takes a little work, I've seen all of them attain their New Year's resolutions. Here are some of my best tips and tricks that have helped hopeful clients realize their goals:
1. Remember that success takes time and perseverance.
If all goals could be accomplished in 30 days, we would all be wildly successful, fit, rich and happy. The problem I see most often is people set very lofty goals and don't take control of the small steps it takes to reach them. They say things like, "I want to lose 25 pounds and start going to the gym regularly." Then, at the end of January, they've stopped going to the gym altogether and say, "Well, I only lost 3 pounds anyway." They don't see this as progress; they see it as failure.
What I see is a person who simply bit off more than he or she could chew. A 3-pound weight loss is 3 pounds less than your New Year's weight. Going to the gym regularly doesn't have to mean five days a week, or even three days a week. Go once a week in January, twice a week in February, and maybe three times a week in March. Gradual increases in attainable, measureable, small steps, coupled with tiny monthly goals that work toward your big resolution, all add up to success.
2. Share you goals with the world.
Social media is a billion-dollar industry for a reason. The most successful people have a huge presence on social media, whether it's Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or LinkedIn. Advertisers use it, entrepreneurs use it, and it's become the fastest and most effective way to get and give information.
Next year, declare your intentions to the world. Publicly announcing what you intend to do is not only empowering, but it also holds you socially accountable for making it happen. As an added bonus, you won't have to go at it all by your lonesome. Social networks can be especially supportive since they allow others to comment on your progress updates, remind you of why you're doing this and inquire about your progress from time to time.
You can even participate in specialty Facebook groups or Instagram hashtags to get specific support for a specific goal. My company, Whole Green You, for example, offers a 30-day New Year's Success Virtual Workshop, which, among other features, allows participants to access to a closed Facebook group for constant support and expert guidance.
3. Commit to 30 days.
In today's society, it's human nature to want immediate rewards and unwavering results. However, it takes about 21 days to develop new and lasting habits. We know that people who manage to power through the first 30 days are three times more likely to see success with their New Year's resolutions. Why? Because in 30 days, the average person experiences some results and successes, as well as some kind of setback. The 30 days allows you to experience both ups and downs and get back on track.
Getting back on track and acknowledging success, no matter how small, is integral to lasting success and eventual realization of your goal. Whole Green You uses this 30-day approach in the New Year's Success Workshop by starting small and moving forward in small steps that have a big impact.
4. Start off on the right foot.
Finally, before you even set a New Year's resolution, take a moment to think over the last year. Many times, the start of a new year can make us feel like failures in the past year. This negative energy can follow us into the year ahead and sneakily sabotage our progress. When making your New Year's resolution, take the time to write down these things about the past year first:
-- What happened this past year that you are proud of? Even if it was a bad year, it's highly unlikely that absolutely nothing good or inspiring happened to you. Starting your year by building on the accomplishments you're proud of from last year is a positive and fabulous way to begin. What experiences, people or opportunities were positive influences?
-- What feelings, things, thoughts or relationships do you want to leave behind in the coming year? This is a great time to clean house in your psychology and sever ties with people who bring you down or negatively influence you. Don't bring it with you into the New Year!
Now that you have a clean slate and clear frame of mind, you can map out your goals and the steps you need to take to achieve them. I wish you all a happy and successful New Year!
Sarah Haskins is the founder of Whole Green You, a holistic health coaching practice that specializes in helping busy men and women around the country increase their energy, improve their relationship to food, lose weight, deconstruct and control cravings, and reduce their toxic load. As a U.S. Army veteran with 11 years of active duty service to her country, Haskins' holistic nutritional approach has been implemented with many U.S. Army soldiers to enhance their focus, energy and athletic ability both on and off the battlefield.
