How to Achieve Your New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!

The start of a new year is the perfect time to reflect on the past and plan for the year ahead. Many of us are looking to set resolutions that will bring positive change into our lives, hence the annual setting of “New Year’s Resolutions”. However, research shows that only 8 percent of Americans who set these resolutions will achieve their goals for the year. My intention here is to quickly highlight how to achieve your New Year's Resolutions and make them stick.

If you’ve found yourself in this position, you may be wondering why resolutions fail. Firstly, most people set their expectations too high, leading them to become overwhelmed and eventually give up. If someone sets a goal that is too ambitious or complex, it can lead them down an inevitable path of failure as they will struggle to stay motivated and determined throughout the entire process.

It's no secret that setting goals is an integral part of achieving success. Whether your goal is to get healthy, make more money, or learn a new skill, having an actionable plan can help you stay on track and reach your objectives. SMART goal setting helps set specific objectives to ensure success.

SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound; each of these criteria must be met when setting any goal. It involves breaking down the overall goal into smaller steps that can be easily achieved with manageable deadlines. For example, if someone wants to start eating healthier, they should start with something small like replacing one unhealthy snack per day with a healthier option and gradually increasing this over time until they are only eating healthy snacks.

Another way to help ensure these resolutions stick is by incorporating mindfulness.

Mindfulness involves being present in the moment and noticing thoughts or feelings without thinking about past mistakes or worrying about the future. When applied to goal setting, mindfulness can provide extra insight into what a person really wants out of life and which resolutions will be most beneficial for them personally. It also helps individuals become more aware of their daily behavior patterns so they can recognize habits that might be blocking them from reaching their goals. With this knowledge, it’s possible to reshape behaviors and form new healthy habits that support personal growth instead.

The first step towards becoming mindful when eating healthy is understanding why this change needs to be made and why it’s important for you. Once you have a clear goal in mind, it's much easier for your brain and body to stay focused on making healthier choices. Don’t forget that nutrition isn’t just about what foods are good or bad; it's also about learning how different kinds of food impact your energy levels and moods differently throughout the day.

We all strive to be successful and combining smart goal setting with mindfulness can be the perfect combination to help you reach your goals or “resolutions.” Smart goal setting allows you to identify clear objectives and establish timelines that are realistic. Mindfulness then plays an integral role in helping you achieve those goals.

Cheers to an amazing 2023 – full of small but meaningful changes!

Tami

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