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New Year’s Goals

By on January 8, 2018
New Year's Goals- WritersLife.org

The start of the new year brings resolutions, but come February, those resolutions have often fallen by the wayside. Despite the best of intentions, resolutions don’t often make it to fruition. Why? Perhaps it has something to do with the flimsiness of them. After all, what does it mean to lose weight or be healthier? Resolutions are intangible, which is why goal setting is a better way to start the new year.

Goals are tangible. They have targets and milestones to help you know if you are achieving them. Goals are able to be aspirational and practical, a combination needed for achievement. And most of all, they are motivational.

When setting a goal, be specific. Instead of the resolution to lose weight, set a goal of losing 10 pounds. But don’t stop there. Instead, break it down. Set a milestone of 2 pounds per month. That way you will have something to celebrate along the way. And make sure these milestones are achievable. Losing 10 pounds in one month is often not achievable, and most certainly unhealthy.

Once milestones have been established, turn towards the method. Again, be specific. Instead of just resolving to eat healthier, set targets. Eat at least two different types of vegetables with dinner. Make Mondays meatless. Limit the amount of cookies eaten per serving to two instead of unlimited.

After a path has been determined, seek support. It’s been well documented that if you share your goals with others, you are more likely to reach them. So, tell your friends and family what your plan is. The result should not be public shaming, but rather a sense of personal accountability. You told someone your plan and it feels better to show them that you are following it. Social media is also a great tool to use. There are Facebook groups for everything, so look for these. Find a group that shares healthy recipes, or a group that meets up for walks in your neighbourhood.

Along your path to your goal, you may find the need to alter it. After all, life often gets in the way of the best laid plans. But that’s ok. Life is fluid and you want to be able to bend with it. But if you’re ever in doubt of why you made your goal, think about the reason behind it. The motivation to accomplish goals is inside of you; it’s up to you to listen to your thoughts.

Happy New Year and good luck with your goals!

 

  Elyse Fryer

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