New Year, New You?
There is nothing wrong with setting goals for yourself. Even if those goals so happen to be set each year on New Year’s day. The problem is not setting goals, the problem is setting goals without intention. This year, be intentional with your New Year’s resolution. Be mindful when you are deciding what it is you want to accomplish.
If you really wish to accomplish a new goal, there needs to be more to it then declaring what you want to accomplish. There needs to be a plan behind that goal. A plan that is laid out in a way that will lead you right to that big accomplishment. If you want to lose weight, saying “I want to lose 20 lbs by June 1st” is not enough. How are you going to lose that 20 lbs? Start by being honest with yourself. Determine a goal that is realistic for you. We are capable of just about anything we set our mind to but have you really set your mindset yet? Mindset is extremely important. You need to get in the right state of mind to begin taking the right steps forward. Knowing yourself will be really helpful in goal setting because then you can prepare for any shortcuts you know you are likely going to try to take. If you know yourself and your habits, you can start creating a plan that you can actually follow. Determine the steps you will need to take in order get to where you want to be. Breaking it down not only provides you with a road map but it also makes things less overwhelming, allowing you a better chance of sticking to your goal.
There needs to be a growing confidence and understanding of yourself. Even if you have tried to accomplish this goal before and it didn’t go as planned, all hope is not lost. It’s the new year, we are looking forward, aren’t we? You don’t need to have all the confidence to make moves towards your goal; you need growing confidence. Start small. If you are trying to lose weight, maybe you cut out bread for the week. At the end of the week spend 10 minutes reflecting on how you accomplished this small task as a way to build your confidence. If you spend moments acknowledging your small wins as time goes on your confidence will grow. As your confidence grows so does your ability to accomplish your goal.
So, if you want to be intentional in setting your New Year’s resolution this year, don’t just set it and forget it. Sit down, be quiet with yourself and really think about the goal you are setting. Consider the possible barriers and plan for them early. Create a roadmap where the steps and path you need to take is broken down for you to reference as you go. Allow yourself the growing confidence as you work towards the goal one small task at a time.