This Year I Am Really Going To Do It

Every year the gym is packed for a month as people ritually set their New Year’s resolutions to loose weight, get in shape, work out. And Target has their work out gear on sale to help us with those goals. Then walk a few aisles and you find planners and calendars, organizing boxes and tools. Those are for the other resolvers who decided they would manage their time better, get organized and clean out the basement. But every year, come Feb. 1 the gym is back to its usual crowd, the planners are on deep discount and we’ve shoved the new tools into the basement and shut the door to hide the resolutions that we set and never completed.

So why bother setting a resolution, making a goal to change or improve? Why is this hope of the New Year lost so soon after it is enjoyed? First, we tend to set unrealistic goals. Goals should be challenging but attainable in the timeline you set. For instance, loose weight or look like my pre-child self are unrealistic. However, loose three pounds in January is a more realistic and attainable goal. Be clear and give yourself a timeline to complete the goal.

Second, we set ourselves up for failure. We may set a goal but if we do not make plans to achieve it then that goal will not happen. In our above example we could say, ‘Go to the gym once a week for a month’ or ‘Walk 15 min a day’. We need to know the steps needed to reach our goal and those steps need to be actionable.  Also, be sure the steps are reasonable for your physical abilities and schedule.

Third, we don’t commit to make the changes we desire. It takes 30 days of working on a new skill to make it a habit. Give yourself the time necessary to incorporate the new tasks into your routine. Break your goal into bite-sized pieces so that you can work on a portion of the goal and make it a habit before moving onto the next step. Also, share your resolution with others. If you write down your goals you are more likely to complete them if you share your commitment with others you are almost guaranteed it will happen.

The library is hosting a series, “New Year’s Resolutions That Stick.” I hope you will join me for this fun presentation and allow yourself real change this year.

What New Year’s resolutions have you set for yourself?