1. Lose Weight
2. Start School
3. Change Careers
4. Clear out old "friends"- defriending via social media and clearing out phone contact lists
5. Make more money
6. Travel
7. Start that new hobby
However, as you create your New Year’s Resolutions I encourage you to develop a strategy of setting achievable and realistic goals. These are goals that are measureable and attainable. Some of you may look at the list above and say to yourself "I had those goals last year, and the year before that, and the year before that", and they are your goals this year as well.
Why is there a saga of "the never met goal"? The answer is simple, we are too global. Yes thinking in the mind-set of the "Overall Goal" or the "Big Picture" is detrimental to our mental health in terms of self-accomplishment and wellbeing. Allow me to help you in setting and achieving goals.
STEP 1
Set a realist goal. For example, I want to lose 40 lbs.
This is realistic, but the time frame of 2 weeks or 1 month, is not.
STEP 2
Set objectives. This is the method or methods by which you will attain the goal. You may need to set 3-5 objectives or more to reach your goal.
For example, "I will work purchase a fitness DVD", "I will work out 2 days a week for 25 minutes", “I will take a healthy homemade lunch 3 times per week”.
STEP 3
Evaluate yourself and adjust. Small progressive steps build a positive habit and allow you the opportunity to measure small triumphs. In addition, when you self-evaluate you have the opportunity to develop additional or alternative objectives when things aren’t moving towards your goal.
STEP 4
Reward yourself. Allow yourself to feel proud of even the smallest accomplishments. Be sure to reward yourself in ways that will not hamper the achievement of your goal. For example if your goal is to save money for new car and you took on an extra job, you wouldn’t want to treat yourself to a lavish day at the spa to relieve your stress and celebrate your savings. Instead, if it’s that spa day you crave, find a coupon/internet deal which would yield you a big savings. Places such as group, offer tremendous deals that you can feel good about mind, body, and wallet (and again, you’re creating a healthy habit of NOT overspending).
STEP 5
Stick with it. No matter what, stick to your plan. This is the only step where global thinking is okay. You must keep the overarching goal in the back of your mind…I say this because you may need to adjust the objectives and even the steps within the objectives, you may need to recharge or start again, but you must remain focused on the prize…. A Better You!
So, as you get ready for the New Year and a New You…check in on the present you. What obstacles or distractions may be in your way? As you canvas your life be aware of self-sabotage and enablers. Clean your house, room, work space. Do not go into the New Year with the chaos of junk in your space. You need to enter a space of comfort and order so that you may reduce stress and anxiety as you make positive changes in your life. Reduce and eliminate negative images that you receive, be it people, places, or things; you need to be around positivity and hear positivity.
So as the clock gets closer to 2013, I wish you positivity, peace, and prosperity! Cheers to a Better You!
Syreeta
