New Year's Resolutions 2015

Have you blown your New Year's Resolutions?

If you have, don’t feel bad. Most of us blow it in the first week! It happens. Don’t beat yourself up. I’m here to help you get back on track!

What I do is create a “To Do" list. I’ve talked about this before in previous articles but I feel it appropriate to mention it again in case someone missed it.

Organize your “To Do” list

First, limit yourself to about five specific goals. Getting five things accomplished in a year seems doable, right? Of course, that depends on what those things are. For example, let’s say I want to remodel my kitchen. That’s one big endeavor that has a lot of little details that have to be coordinated just right in order to get it done. Things like design ideas, budget constraints, finding a contractor, etc. . . 

Organize your list into small items and big items, and make sure that you strike a reasonable balance.

Plan to plan

Give your list a lot of thought. Take the time to sit down and come up with realistic, concrete ideas, goals or dreams-come-true that you can make happen within the next 12 months. For every idea you create, itemize the details involved in seeing that goal accomplished.

For example, the most common resolution is eat right and exercise. Why do so many of us fail at this? We don’t have a plan. We don’t realize all the details involved with something that seems simple. So I encourage you to create a plan for whatever it is that’s on your list. I think you’ll agree it’s more complicated than you think.

Stay motivated

Ask yourself what’s your motivation for whatever the goals, intentions or changes are. Ask yourself the who, what, where, when, why for every item on your “To Do" list, and I guarantee that your list will shrink dramatically as the lower priorities fall away.

Some behaviorists believe that our inability to follow through on resolutions is linked to each individual's lack of willpower. If that is true, then making a small, manageable list makes sense. Consider each item on your list an exercise in strengthening your willpower. Just like building a muscle, you can build your will power.

Important takeaways

In the end, you have to decide what the reason for the list is in the first place. Decide what your motivations are. Make it a short list and have a plan. Remember to be very specific about the plan. The more detailed it is the better. And, the most important thing of all is this: don’t berate yourself if you fall short. Just keep going. The fact that you’re attempting to improve your life is awesome!

peace and love,
Chuck