New Year’s Resolutions are meant to motivate us, help us plan for success, and put us in a goal-oriented mindset for the year ahead. But as March approaches, these resolutions can start to seem impossible to keep. Before we know it, we’re behind on our goals and start to feel disappointed in ourselves for not sticking to them.
Have you had this experience? A ton of people don’t stick to their New Year’s Resolutions, and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. You can move forward by setting new goals that are designed to improve your own wellbeing, instead of markers of success that are only measured by external achievements. This year, you don’t have to feel guilty for failing to meet your own expectations. Here’s how to set new New Year’s resolutions that will encourage a balanced lifestyle and make you feel accomplished.
Celebrate yourself
If you’re a perfectionist, make 2020 the year of enjoying yourself and celebrating the things you’re doing right. I’m naturally very self-disciplined and tend to completely immerse myself in my goals to the point where I lose sight of everything else. One of my resolutions this year is actually to plan less and allow myself the flexibility to do the things I enjoy. At the end of each day, think about what you’ve achieved instead of stressing out about the things that aren’t checked off on your to-do list. Celebrate your successes every step of the way. And remember that while you’re working toward your goals, it’s okay to be spontaneous and bend your schedule for the things that truly matter, like friends, family, and travel.
Don’t be intimidated by your own goals
You might view New Year’s Resolutions as a measurement of your failure or success. If you fulfill all of your resolutions, then you’ve won; if you haven’t, you’ve lost. This is an intimidating way to look at your goals, and it’s a major reason why people tend to give up so quickly.
View resolutions as a way to enhance your life, without a pass or fail mentality. Create resolutions that you think will make you happier and thrive. Setting deadlines and being specific with your goals is important, but a resolution shouldn’t be something that’s hanging over your head and adding stress to your life. Taking initiative and making even just one change to meet your goal is an accomplishment in itself.
Move forward
It’s time to start fresh! No more beating yourself up about commitments that you haven’t kept. Download the free 2020 Reboot Worksheet below: these simple writing exercises will help you reflect on unhelpful habits you want to get rid of, and how you can focus on improving specific areas of your life in the year ahead. Whatever your goals are, remember to be kind to yourself this year. Join the Love Our Minds family by subscribing to our email list for regular updates and free resources!
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