It’s time for the “new year, new me” era, where we list a bunch of New Year’s resolutions hoping to actually achieve it but forgetting it on day 2.
It’s frustrating right?
I mean, why do we make New Year’s resolutions in the first place?
Because we’re mainly hoping to change (maybe even for the better), or maybe because we see the new year as a blank slate - to get this right this time.
Over the past years, our New Year’s resolutions haven't gotten past day 3 but maybe this time it can be different, and maybe we can help you get past it. I’ve found a few tips online that I definitely want to share with you that actually work.
#1: Be realistic
Remember how to set meaningful goals blog, you start with SMART goals and the kind of goals that are actually achievable in the span of the first few days or maybe even weeks before you set ones for months.
Kind of like getting up at 7am everyday of the week, and trying to exercise at least 10 mins a day for the first few days before adding 5 more minutes.
Sometimes the reason for not being able to keep our goals is because we kind of expect it to have faster and immediate results. Like wanting to lose weight in two weeks, and when we don’t we stop trying.
The next step is aligned to having realistic goals too
#2: Small steps
Taking small steps when we’ve mentioned earlier that we have to make realistic goals.
I mean, it’s difficult to even start making habits because it’s either we get discouraged, or we find some other excuse.
So if you're hoping to wake up at 7 am everyday and sleep at 5am, you can start by slowly changing your sleeping times and habits to around 4am and then 3am and so on until you get that 8 hours of sleep.
It will actually take awhile to get it into a routine and there are times where you’d be back at square one, but keep doing the first step.
#3: Change is a process
Change doesn't happen overnight.
It’s cliché but it’s true.
Change requires process, it takes one step each time. You can’t just start yeeting yourself and skipping steps.
Because there’s no such thing as change happening overnight, so as excruciating as it is to actually keep on moving forward with little steps, it’s the only way that actually generates results.
And as difficult as starting, it gets difficult when you keep moving forward with the same routine. But trust me, in order to make something a habit, you have to keep moving forward.
It’s a new year, so we start with literally day 1.
#4: Surround yourself with support
It’s the same quote as “tell me who your friends are and I'll tell you who you are.”
Because if you’re hoping to actually improve in your life, you have to surround yourself with people who actually care about you reaching your goals, instead of those who try to break them.
You know the kind of friends who actually want to lose weight together, rather than the ones who just want to get lit and party til morning.
Now, I’m not saying to just drop everyone and everything, but the more you surround yourself with people who actually want to achieve or even want you to achieve the goals are the people you should be with. It builds your character to have a support group who actually wants to see you succeed.
#5: Set back ≠ failure
Have you ever had those “I’ll just do it tomorrow” or “hey what can one day without _____ do?” every time you’ve started or even wanting to start a goal?
I bet you’ve had.
Because when we try to make excuses or have set backs and try to reschedule we often forget or even stop the progress.
Even if that happens, it doesn’t mean that your goal is bound to fail.
Remember that proverb? “Nana korobi, ya oki” which means to fall down seven times, stand up eight.
And no, that doesn’t mean that if you’ve fallen 7 times, and stood up eight, it’s time to stop.
There’s no perfect person, who does not experience setbacks or even challenges, there’s no one in this world that’s lucky enough to stick with something and not experience challenges in between.
So
#6: Don’t beat yourself up
(see what I did there? heehee)
I know it’s hard to not blame ourselves for the setback or the failure in being consistent with our goals BUT you really shouldn’t beat yourself up about it. You’re doing the best that you could and that’s already something that’s accounted for.
The reason why you shouldn’t beat yourself up is because the more you do that the more you become demotivated with getting back up and continuing your goals.
Even when it’s become hard to continue, just remember that you’ve had similar experiences in the past that got you to where you are.