New Year, New You
January 3, 2019
We have all done it-made New Year’s resolutions only to find ourselves back in our old habits two weeks into January. It is not always easy to make a change in one’s lifestyle. Here are a few tips I have come up with to encourage you to choose wisely when coming up with your resolutions.
- Take your time
You do not have to rush into a lifestyle change. Sure January 1
st is a great time to start a resolution, but so is February 17
th or October 22
nd. My point is don’t feel constrained to start on a specific date. Give yourself time to where you know you can be the most successful.
- Make sure it is an attainable goal
Along with giving yourself time, you want to make sure you are setting a goal that is attainable and practical for you. Personally, I am not a morning person, never have been and I don’t really see myself becoming one. I am never going to make a resolution of reading in the morning before work (which would be about 5am). That is not practical for me. Sure, reading more is a great resolution but I have to fit it to my schedule. Therefore, instead, I would make the resolution to read more at night before I go to sleep. Amount and intensity is important, too. It would not be attainable to make a goal to read five 800-page novels this coming year when this past year you have only read one 300-page novel. You know yourself best, keep that in mind.
- Talk about it
It is important to have a support system. Whether that be your daughter, grandchild, mother, father, cousin twice removed, neighbor, etc. Having someone else to help ensure you stay within your goal is going to be very beneficial. Your support system can provide you with encouragement to stay in check but this person can also be an outlet to discuss how your goal is going. I always think it is important to talk about issues, even when it is about yourself.
Remember to take your time when coming up with an attainable resolution for this year. You know yourself best so try not to compare yourself or criticize your own goals because of others. Happy New Year all.
