The new year is coming up and the first thing that comes to my mind is New Years resolutions! However, I have in the past like so many people struggled throughout the year to actually achieve my new years resolutions. Which for me and most people really comes down to the fact that the new year goals weren’t attainable. Which is why today we are going to talk about how you can achieve these goals by setting realistic new year resolutions!
I know not everyone is a fan of new years resolutions or new year goals but I am!
To me they are a great opportunity to truly think about what you want to get out of the next year and how to optimize the time you have.
And then making those thoughts into resolutions (or goals) are a great way to make them actually happen!
But you need to make sure that the goals you are setting are realistic and achievable. Which is why I put together this 5 step guide to realistic New Year resolutions! How to make them realistic and then how to actually achieve them.
So let’s stop rambling and get into the steps for making and achieving your new year goals!
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The steps to set realistic new years resolutions:
Step 1: Focus on a couple of new year goals.
When I was younger I would set probably 30 new year goals. And of course that means I didn’t have the time or plans to achieve them all so I would give up after 2 months on all of them.
Thankfully I have learned over the years that focusing on 2-4 resolutions significantly increase the chances that you can complete them and actually create the new habits/improved life that you are wanting.
If you want to actually achieve your new year goals to better your life you are better off focusing on just a few!
Below are tips for picking the few new year goals you actually want to focus on.
If you start thinking of resolutions and end up with 20 then take a hard look at the list and do 2 things: prioritize and categorize.
To prioritize- take a little bit to truly think about what you want from the next year. Envision what will make you feel successful and satisfied at the end of the year. Use those visions to really determine what is going to be the most important resolutions for you to focus your time and energy on.
To categorize- still have 15 things on the list? Probably because a lot of them really fall under one larger resolution goal. For example, is go to the gym 4 times a week, eat 2 servings of veggies every day, and lose 5 pounds a month all on your list? Well those all fall under a larger umbrella of getting healthy. Those are different steps towards that resolution but don’t need to be separated out into their own resolutions.
Step 2: Write down the realistic new year resolutions.
Just thinking about your resolutions isn’t going to make them happen or make them realistic.
Write a traditional pen and paper list (okay or on your iPhone but don’t let it get lost in a million notes or screenshots).
And then LOOK AT THE LIST REGULARLY. Even if you know you won’t forget your resolutions having them written down makes it feel more concrete and less like an “oh I guess I should do this” and more of a “I am going to do this”.
I’m going to repeat myself- you need to look at the list. For me that means putting it nice and big above my desk at home. But put it wherever you will look at it frequently.
Get a cute notebook or even better a stick on the wall poster (whiteboard works too) that you can look at to keep the goals visual. Here are a couple great options for those strategies!
Cute notebooks to write down your new year goals:
Ways to put the realistic new year resolutions up on the walls:
Self-Adhesive Whiteboard Wall Decal Sticker
Black Chalkboard Contact Paper Vinyl Wall Decal Poster
Step 3: Get an accountability buddy for your new year goals.
At minimum tell someone close to you about your resolutions but ideally if there is someone in your life that you can work with to hold each other accountable that is perfect.
For a lot of people that is your significant other or a family member, but regardless of who it is just make sure they are someone who will help encourage you!
You can absolutely also have different accountability buddies for different resolutions. But for achieving your realistic new year resolutions they can really help hold you accountable and make it possible!
The buddy to help you get healthy is not necessarily the same buddy who will help you with learning to play the guitar.
Step 4: Map out the stages of the realistic new year resolutions.
No goal or resolution is just one step. “Get healthy” has so many steps and parts and is going to be super personalized for everyone.
This step is so important for really achieving your realistic new year resolutions.
Some resolutions like “spend less time on my phone” don’t have nearly as many stages but something super ambitious like “launch my own company” has 20-30 stages (and will require a whole business plan!). But don’t let the stages scare you! It’s best to map it all out so you know that you can start at the beginning and succeed.
Making literally a road map to success can take away a lot of the stress of resolutions and can help make them actually achievable. This is especially important if you have a pretty intense resolution that you are aiming for.
After you map out the stages make sure you work towards them weekly. And I seriously recommend using a planner to help keep you on track for that!
I have tons of posts on planners! But if you struggle to stick to using a planner then go read this post: 5 Reasons Your Planner Isn’t Working.
Utilizing planners can really help you achieve and accomplish your goals this year I promise!
Step 5: Reward yourself along the way to celebrate your new year goals!
The final step for achieving and setting realistic new year resolutions is definitely the most fun!
Resolutions are to improve you not stress you out and make you miserable. So if you find yourself feeling de-motivated then make sure to reward yourself along the way! As you are mapping out the stages make a list of rewards like this one for getting healthy:
Goal – Reward
Lose 5 pounds – new gym outfit
Lose 10 pounds – new gym shoes
Lose 15 ponds – fancy dinner
Lose 20 pounds – shopping spree
I hope this post on how to set realistic new year resolutions really helps to set you up for a better next year!
I know it can be disheartening and discouraging when it seems impossible to achieve a resolution. But you can actually achieve your new year resolutions by making them realistic and attainable and following these steps!
Korra-Shay
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If you liked this post on how to set realistic new year resolutions you probably (hopefully!) will like these too:
- 23 Ways To Constantly Improve Yourself This Year
- How To Set Personal Development Goals
- 50 Helpful Ideas For Self Improvement
- How To Make More Time For The Things You Love
- How to Make an “Every Day Goals” List
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