On January 1st, 2023 a lot of people are going to celebrate with friends and family and as they celebrate some will start thinking about the ‘New Me’ they’re becoming in the new year. On January 2nd, the majority will pick up that pen, sit at that desk with the laptop, or say something motivational to themselves in the mirror and promise that the year will be different and this time the resolutions will go into effect.
For most, by February 28th, the drive is gone, and so the rest of the year will be an on-again, off-again period until December 2023, when realization kicks in that a lot of these goals weren’t achieved and there’s a need to plan better for the next New Year.
Something I have found is that you really shouldn’t wait for the New Year to make your new resolutions. Why is this so?
You need to plan ahead
New Year resolutions are goals that you have set for yourself to make you a better person, in whatever form that may be over the next 365 days and beyond. To be able to set goals that you can stick to, you need to plan ahead because this ensures that you develop well-thought-out resolutions and see them through, no matter what. The first step to planning ahead is preparing for all the resources you will need to achieve those resolutions. What do you need to get it done? Do you need to enroll in a course, create a new meal plan, or set up an exercise routine? When you plan for success, there is no room for excuses.
Choose just one thing
Another reason why you shouldn’t wait until January 1st before you make your resolutions is that you need to think deeply and pick only one thing that you want to work on or change during a particular period. A lot of times, resolutions are not followed through because there are just too many things on the to-do list. What is the one thing you absolutely must achieve in January, February, and so on? What is one thing you must do in quarters one, two, and so on? When you hone things down to one thing, it shows you what is really important and you can plan around that. the new year. Once you are able to successfully achieve that goal, you can pick another resolution and start working on it.
There will be problems: Anticipate Them
What are the possible challenges you are likely to face as you work on your goals? List them out so you will be better prepared to handle them as they come. If you have temporary setbacks, don’t beat yourself up about it, reflect on what went wrong, correct it and keep moving.
Be realistic about your start date
It’s almost 100% certain that you can’t start working on your resolution on New Year’s day, or even the day after. Don’t lock yourself into an unrealistic time frame, but pick a start date that will be convenient for you to begin. Don’t make it complicated, just make sure you start!
Commit to your resolutions
Create a structure that will help you track your progress so you can course correct where necessary. Get a diary/journal where you put what you want to achieve in advance so it’s in front of you consistently.
Plan to reward yourself
Consciously and intentionally plan to reward yourself for every milestone reached, because every small success is a win, and you deserve it.
So as the year rounds up ask yourself 3 questions:
- Where am I?
- Where am I going?
- How do I get there?
Being purposeful about your New Year resolutions, setting and planning for them before the New Year’s starts put you in an excellent position to have a successful year.
