Setting Goals, Not Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are a popular way to start the year on the right foot. They’re a chance to commit to self-improvement and set yourself up for success. Unfortunately, they don’t always work out that way. Many people quickly fall off the resolution bandwagon by February or March – if not sooner. But why? Let's take a closer look at why New Year's resolutions don't always work out as planned.

The Pitfalls of Resolutions

One of the main problems with New Year's resolutions is that they often focus on making drastic changes in our lives in an incredibly short time. We might think that because it's a new year, we can flip a switch and suddenly be different people – but it doesn't work like that! It takes time to build new habits and make meaningful lifestyle changes; this is something that most resolutions don't account for.

Another issue with resolutions is that they tend to be quite vague – we might set ourselves the goal of "being healthier," but what does that mean? Without concrete goals and actionable steps, we won't know how to measure our progress and stay motivated. This can discourage us quickly when things aren't going as planned – leading us right back to square one!

Setting Realistic Goals

If you want your goals to stick, it's important to ditch the resolution mindset and focus instead on setting realistic goals for yourself. Take some time each month (or even better, each day!) to identify one or two actionable steps you can take towards achieving your goals – whether it's signing up for an online fitness class or starting a new hobby – and use those small victories as motivation for continuing down the path towards your larger goal.

And since life isn't always about setting big ambitions for ourselves, remember to acknowledge the little wins – like taking the time for self-care or finally reading that book you've been planning on finishing since last year!  

It can be difficult knowing where to start when setting meaningful goals for ourselves, especially at the beginning of a new year when everyone around us is talking about their lofty ambitions! If you're feeling overwhelmed by all these expectations (and who isn't?), then make sure you're focusing on what matters most right now: yourself!

Find small achievable tasks you can do each day towards improving your life, whatever that may mean for you, and remember that progress isn't always linear – so don't be too hard on yourself if things don't go exactly according to plan. Here’s wishing all of us a great year filled with rewards!