This is Your Year – Making Resolutions that Stick!

Let’s take a quick second and get on the same page.  We are all guilty of it – making New Year’s Resolutions that we only actually do for January, maybe March. I’m not the only one okay!!

And every year we tell ourselves, this year I’m going to stick with it all year-long.  But do we? Ehh.

Why can’t we do it?!

It’s not that we can’t do it, it’s that we push ourselves outside our comfort zone in multiple places, trying to “reinvent” ourselves in the New Year.

I’m not cynical – I love setting new goals every year, but I try to set them in November and December instead of January.  I’ve found that when I set goals in January and I fail, I give up so easily.  For me, it’s much easier to stay on course when you don’t have the pressure of perfection from the beginning, but rather progress over time.

About now I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes because it would have been nice to know this two months ago.   You’re right!

But – that doesn’t mean I can’t give you some tips and tricks!

I think one of the most common resolutions every year is fitness/health related. We all want to be more active, eat better, feel good, and look “good.”

Whether you have an idea of how you want to go about it or are putting yourself out there for the first time, having a strategy is a huge key!

Here are my Top 5 Tips to make this year, THE YEAR.

Tip #1: Write your goals out and post them in a spot you see everyday.

Just like a vision board, it is so important that you are able to visualize what you want to accomplish. Keep your goals, whether written out or in picture form, always in sight as a constant reminder of what you are working towards. I usually like to start by writing down where I see myself in 5 years and work backwards. Once I have an idea of where I want to be, I put down specific goals that continue to fuel me in the right direction.

Tip #2: Make goals measurable.

Saying that you are going to “lose weight” doesn’t give you a tangible goal – it’s just an idea. Be specific! I am going to lose x lbs.  I am going to exercise x times each week. I’m going to read x amount of pages every night.  BONUS: give yourself deadlines!

The phrase “this year,” is just as tangible as I’m going to read more. By setting deadlines for your goals, you are giving yourself a concrete time frame.  If you don’t, your goals will start to look a lot like the “I’ll do it later” mentality we often have towards the end of each year.

Tip #3:  Build a Routine.

Most of us are creatures of habit. We have routines that work for us.  If your goal is to get the gym more, it’s important to try to do it the same time every day – even the weekends.  Goals often fail because the hardest part is just getting to them. Don’t use “I don’t have time” as your excuse this year! Make the time – build it in to your routine.

Tip #4: Be realistic.

I write blogs entries because it’s a hobby of mine. Putting “write a book” on my list of goals for the year is as realistic as winning the lottery (there’s always a chance, I guess) –  it’s just not going to happen!  It is so important that you think about attainable goals. It’s better that you hit your goals and create new ones, than you set your sights too big and come up short.  You want to build yourself up when goal setting, not set the bar too high and feel like you will never be able to reach it.

Tip #5: Invest in Yourself.

I’m sure you read this one and thought, “What do you think I’m doing? I’m here aren’t I?” Or maybe that’s just what I would think if I read this.  Goals are great, don’t get me wrong, but I’m a big believer that as humans we commit to things more when there’s a monetary value associated with them.  Think about that gym membership you only pay $10/month. It’s only $10, so if you don’t go, you really haven’t lost much right?  What if you now spend $200/month on a membership?  There’s a little more on the line forcing you to “get your money’s worth.”

When we think about goals, think about what you are really investing.  Right now, you don’t truly value the money, time, or commitment you’re putting into your current goals.  If you did, you wouldn’t be thinking about revamping them or doing them better.

Essentially, planning to eat healthier doesn’t mean anything if you don’t change your current routine.  Getting “fit” doesn’t mean anything if you believe you are going to do that by going to that same $50 gym you’ve had a membership at for the last 5 years.

So as you plan your goals, I challenge you to let go of all the previous ways you’ve tried to do them (cancel the membership, try a different instructor, throw away the manual), and invest something different. Maybe you need to invest in something new, something more expensive, or something with a larger commitment.

The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results.

Let this year be YOUR year!

P.S. (on a personal note) – I can’t wait for 2019!

As I reflect back on 2018 and look forward to 2019, I have so much to be thankful for. I’m surround day in and day out with the most amazing community of people. I love my Barry’s Family, and I can’t wait to marry my best friend.

2018, you’ve been good to me, but 2019, I’m coming for you!