New Year's Resolutions Refined

Since it's January I thought I'd share my thoughts on New Year's resolutions.

Every year millions of people around the world decide that they are going to change one or perhaps a few things about themselves. Things like:

• Eating healthier
• Going to the gym
• Volunteering
• Saving for retirement

Or maybe your goals are a bit more ambitious

• Becoming a vegetarian
• Running a marathon
• Starting your own business
• Getting out of debt

For the most part I hit the ground running but by mid-March I decide life just gets in the way. Things like birthdays are a good excuse for me not to continue with my goal. I'll be having cocktails and going out for dinners, then there's the occasional gift. Then summer arrives. 

Why should I be at the gym? I should be in the sun socializing and having patio drinks. Then comes autumn (too rainy), winter (too cold) and we're back at square one.

I think for the most part we can agree that this is a circle of failure. Now what? Abandon the idea altogether? Not necessarily. When we think of New Year's resolutions we think of them as being one big change. Why is that? Why are we so hard on ourselves, why are we determined to set unrealistic goals? 

Instead of thinking BIG we need to start thinking small.

Let's look at a few of the examples above. Eating healthier, that's a pretty broad statement. Let's try to think small because what we're actually trying to achieve is breaking a bad habit. What we want is a baby step in the right direction that we can maintain over time. 

Eating healthier could mean:

• You don't always have to order fries 
• Maybe two times a week you opt for a salad
• Perhaps on nights out you don't have that last glass of wine
• Maybe you opt out on that last slice of pizza 

These are tiny changes you can make over time.

Let's look at one more example, going to the gym. Now that's still a broad statement. Do you want to go to the gym three times a week? Two times a week? Do you even like the gym? Is your goal to go to the gym or is your goal to become more fit?

Many people think that going to the gym is the only way to get in shape, however, there are plenty of things you can do to fit exercise in your day to day life. 

First you need to decide your motivation level, your true motivation level.

 

• Can you and will you do things on your own? 
• Are you better working out with a friend?
• Do you prefer a class environment?

These are all things you need to think about. Personally I have really low motivation when it comes to the gym but I have found what works for me, which happens to be taking classes with a friend.

Essentially, when it comes to New Year's resolutions we need to go easy on ourselves. Bad habits don't break overnight, and if you need any more motivation here's this adorable little girl calling it as she sees it.