Each year many of us create a list of resolutions or goals that we’d like to achieve. Typically within the first month of the year, we find ourselves slacking off or are simply uninspired.

I really want us (I’m in this with you) to conquer our goals this year. I’ve created this new approach and I hope that you find some value in it.

1st: Raise your hand if your goals sound like the following. ” I want to save more money.” I want to lose/gain weight this year.” “I want to buy a house this year.” Those are awesome goals, but they all lack structure and strategy. If your resolutions sound like this, I want to encourage you to do two things. First, dig a little deeper. Why do you want to buy a house this year? Then apply a personal and realistic strategy behind that.

Try this: “I want to lose weight this year because I’m not comfortable with how I look/feel when I look in the mirror. I will lose weight by adjusting my eating habits in the first two weeks of January. Then I will…..”

I feel much better about losing weight with the second explanation. First, it gives me a personal connection to my goal. It allows me to make sure that it is truly my goal and not one I adopted from others. There is also an action plan there. Now I know what I need to do, how I need to do it, and when it needs to be done.

2nd: You do not have to start working towards all of your goals at once. Think about how this sounds. “In the first week of January, I will start working out, I will apply to graduate school, I am going to start saving money, I am going to mend broken relationships and start a self-care routine.” That is an awful lot of pressure you are putting on yourself. No wonder you get overwhelmed or frustrated and are not able to achieve all of this.

Try this: “My goals for this year are… and I am going to start working towards “x” at the top of the year because it should take me three months to achieve this. In April I will start applying for graduate programs. If I put $20 aside from each paycheck, that is nearly $500 saved at the end of the year. I want to be able to run a 10K by Thanksgiving so I will start training for it in August. I will start my self-care routine by committing to doing a facial mask once a week until I can build on that. I will…”

Look at you extending grace to yourself! The second explanation allows you to really plan and strategize so that you can yield the outcome you really want. I know that we get excited and anxious about our goals, but when we overload ourselves some tasks will be left undone or not done well.

3rd: Keep in mind that life often ‘throws us lemons’ such as a global pandemic. This is not to discourge you. This is so you’ll be willing to adjust when the time comes.

Try this: When something unplanned happens, give yourself time to assess and understand what’s going on. This will allow you to make new decisions and adjust your goals as needed, if needed.

I hope that these tips will help you design and plan resolutions that you’ll stick to and achieve!

From me,

Chrissy