Every year, in late December, I resolve to do all kinds of things to change my life for the better. Last year I resolved to stop drinking soda pop, learn Spanish, start doing yoga, and a few other things. It is now late December, and I have managed to do exactly none of those things. Why? Because I have been making the same mistakes that most people do when they make New Years Resolutions. I resolve to do too many things, and I fail to plan out how exactly I am going to accomplish those resolutions. Here is how to fix these two problems.
When we put too many things in our basket, we can get overwhelmed and end up failing at all of the things we resolve to do. This year make your New Years Resolutions simple. Try to keep your list to one thing if it’s big or two things if they are small. Some examples of big things are quitting smoking or loosing weight. Small things include taking a class or spending more time with your family. So examine your list of potential resolutions, and pick the one or two you are most passionate about and move on to step two.
Once you narrow down your list of resolutions to one or two things, you need to make a plan on how exactly you are going to accomplish the resolution. If, for example, you want to quit smoking this year, your plan would include finding a smoking cessation program, deciding if you are going to use nicotine gum or a patch, finding a support group, speaking with your doctor, changing some personal habits, etc. A well thought out plan with small steps and measurable goals is the best way to ensure success.
With this simple two step process you can keep your New Years Resolution(s) this year. Of course, you don’t have to wait until New Years to embark on a change for the better. Any day is a good day to start. I am starting now. How about you?