A New Year and New Years Resolutions
by Kelly Sallaway - LincsMag Writer.
Date: 01 January 2011
The Resolution Solution
The New Year means it is time for fabulous parties, champagne toasts and making those resolutions!
Although there is nothing magical about the first of the year we often use it as a catalyst to assess our lives and attempt to make changes.
Reassessment and re-evaluation is essential for growth. Determining where we are is important in goal setting and determining where we want to be.
Making a New Year's Resolution is only as powerful as the motivation behind it and the plan to implement it.
The way to be successful in any endeavour is to be clear about what you want and why.
You resolve to lose weight but by mid-February you are back at the snack machine at work. Are the 3 O'clock hunger pangs really more powerful than a plan for a yearlong resolution? Or Is your real goal something else? Do you want weight loss or maybe what you are looking for is a relationship or better job?
So many women believe that losing 10 lbs is a magic pill that will lead to their real desires. Explore your true wants and needs and then go from there.
Once you have established your goal then make a commitment to your resolution. Write down the steps you are going to take to keep the resolution. If it is finding a new romantic relationship, then sign up for on line dating or a singles cruise. Make your goal part of your new routine. If you have decided to find a better job in 2011 then plan to take a course or apply with a recruiter.
Check the Internet job sites each day and record your progress. Don’t let what is most important to you get lost in the chaos of your everyday life.
Lofty and Inspiring!
If you have decided what you want and have made a commitment that your goal is worth attaining, promise yourself that this goal will not a New Year Resolution statistic. Make your end goal lofty and inspiring!...but make the steps to get there very small, grounded and measurable.
Plan for a few set-backs and move on. Life has a habit of getting in the way of us seeking our dreams. If you fall off the wagon, skip the gym, or miss a training class acknowledge it, own it and move on. Forgive yourself a little. Hold yourself accountable, try to assess the triggers that may have resulted in your set-back, and try not to beat yourself up. Try to have some built-in flexibility in your plan. Don’t make your self-rule too rigid.
Plan for success and then enjoy it. Being realistic from the onset will help you set obtainable steps and lead you to achieving your ultimate goal. Realistic expectations when you reach the goal are also important to enjoying it and to prevent backsliding.
The scale finally getting down to a svelte 125 does not mean Prince Charming is guaranteed to be galloping up to your house. You made your goal. That in itself is the prize. Don’t let the unfulfilled side effects make you give up and return to your old ways.
A resolution done right becomes a habit and a lifestyle. Taking your time and taking on small changes everyday can yield big results. Changes in behaviour over time have a lot better chance of staying with you. People who have learned a new language or lost a large amount of weight over months or years have a lot higher success rate than those who attempt the same over a matter of weeks.
Lets face it, New Year's resolutions don’t have the best of reputations with success or follow through. But this is not always the case. The First is an opportunity to reset the clock, to restart and make a new beginning. This can be a perfect time for renewal.
The first of the year can be the first step to a new you or the new life you have always wanted. Go for it and make 2011 the best year yet!
