When crafting your New Year's resolutions, you may make some new choices that will impact your future health and well-being, such as a new fitness routine or implementing some healthier eating habits, in the new year. In order to make these resolutions last past the first few weeks of the year, here are some helpful tips to launch your new year ideas into reality and stay consistent all year round.
To start, establish goals that are feasible to attain and create milestones to track your progress. Finding goals that fit the SMART goal profile are optimal for long-term success.
SMART goals are characterized by the following:
Specific– Instead of saying “I will go to the gym,” say “I will go to the gym Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 3-4 p.m.”
Measurable– Designate how you will accomplish and measure this goal. This could be a tracking device on your phone, an accountability partner, writing down your progress, or another method.
Achievable– Pick a goal that is actually possible for you to achieve. To make SMART progress, goals can be divided up into milestones.
Realistic– Be realistic in setting your goals and milestones. If your goal is to run a half-marathon, a good starting place is to sign up for a 5K and train. Allow your resolution to be successful by setting realistic goals and doing your best!
Timely– Setting a time limit or time goals for your overall resolution can help keep track of progress and motivate you. An example may be doing one milestone within a month or achieving a section within a specific time frame. Adding a beginning and ending date is helpful as well rather than just telling yourself “by the end of next year.”
When thinking of typical New Year’s resolutions, some may include getting fitter, starting a new hobby, or working towards a new activity. However, incorporating more elements of focusing on yourself, your mindset, and how you view and interact with your life and those in it. Choosing as a resolution to practice more patience in conflicts, taking more time for self-meditation, or more active mindfulness in daily activities are all excellent examples of mindful and healthy resolutions.
Keeping these SMART goals in mind when planning your goals can set you on a path to achieving your resolution and is even great goal practice to use in your daily life.
Before settling on your resolutions, take time to reflect on what these goals will do for you in the future, how you want to feel in a year, and how this may change you for the better, and choose accordingly. New Year's resolutions are a great way to start off the new year with a goal. Implementing SMART planning can allow you to choose mindful resolutions that can positively impact you throughout the new year.
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