Kate
2017 has come to a close and we have a whole brand spankin’ new year staring us right in the face. Are you one of those people that makes New Year’s Resolutions? I don’t. Why? 1- Because I’m kinda lazy (just keeping it honest here) and 2- I never keep up with my resolution of choice. Never. My motivation lasts a month, maybe, but I know I’m not alone in that…right? Right??
What I do find important is to set GOALS for the next year.
I know what you’re thinking: Uh, hello Kate! Goals are the same thing as a New Year’s Resolution!
I say Nay!
A resolution is usually a choice involving a wildly drastic lifestyle change that we hope like heck will stick. We say “It’s 2018! A perfect time for a fresh start!” The premise kinda makes sense since we are starting a new year full of promise and new experiences! Lose weight. Eat better. Workout 7 days a week. Give up all the french fries…just kidding, I wouldn’t last a week with that craziness.
I know this works for some people since they apparently have will-power of steel. I am not those people. My love of those darn french fries makes me weak.
New Year’s Resolutions fail so often that it has actually become a part of our cultural social norm. People often joke about it even though they really wanted to make a difference in their own life! Kinda sad, right? The mindset of accepting of your own future defeat won’t set you up for success. But setting a long term goal that you know will change your life for the better can help you stay on track.
The problem with the normal resolution pattern is the immediate drastic lifestyle change that rarely has a plan of action. A resolution of “I’m going to lose weight!” and then dropping a bunch of dough on a gym membership won’t help you lose weight. You need a plan with steps that will help you succeed!
Goals, my friends. Goals are the ticket.
So instead of “I resolve to save money for a vacation!” try “I will put away $10 per week this year for a vacation to {insert favorite place}.” See the difference? You are creating your ideal goal with details and a plan…THAT is why goals are more attainable than an abstract resolution.
And if you forget one week or money is tight for a month? That’s ok! Start fresh the next week or the next month. You don’t have to scrap everything just because you weren’t perfect or couldn’t spare the cash that month. You can still save for that vacay and feel great about working toward your goal.
How to Set Goals for a Productive New Year
Find Your What or Why
Decide what it is you would really like to achieve in 2018. What goal is going to improve your life or bring you joy? Is it saving money? Traveling? Spending more quality time with family? Starting a side hustle?
Create Your Plan
This is the key step. You can’t just say “I want to spend more time with family.” <– This was actually my goal for 2016. In order to make this happen, my goal was I want my mother’s family to spend more time with my littles.
To make this happen, I talked to the family involved. They agreed that the idea was stellar (because who wouldn’t want to spend more time with adorable grandbabies, amiright?), so we worked out activity options, frequency, and a time of day that fit everyone’s schedule. We now have family dinner (we take turns cooking) on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Sometimes we have to skip or reschedule due to illnesses or schedule conflicts, but we always start fresh so we can still reach that goal!
Write Your Goal Down and Look At It Often
Sometimes it’s easy to forget about these changes we are trying to make. If your goal is something that you need reminders for (maybe eating healthier or working out in the mornings?), try writing it down and taping it where you’ll see it. I like to framed printables on my nightstand to keep me motivated or save it to my phone background. Works like a charm.
Remember: Each Day is a New Day
You don’t have to give up on your goals (or sure, your New Year’s Resolutions) because you goofed up. We are all human and change is hard. Like, so hard guys. So own your misstep, and keep trying!
Sometimes we get lost in the shuffle of daily life, and we forget to keep striving to learn new things or have new adventures or improve our daily lives. But the simple process of creating new goals can help you take charge of your year.
Let me know what your 2018 goals will be!