It’s the start to a brand new year. We’re on day 4 of a 365 day journey that is 2016.
Well, actually, if we’re going to be technical, it’s a leap year. February 29 was added to our calendar, so this year we have 366 days.
Does anyone else wonder what the big hype is about making New Year’s Resolutions?
Does anyone else find them pointless and a waste of time?
How can you decide in a single day what will motivate you for an entire year? And, whoever even said that by stating your resolution on New Year’s Day that you will in fact, follow through with it.
I don’t know about you, but for me, life changes.
Last New Year’s Eve I wasn’t engaged yet and was planning on going back to my Marketing and Administration position with work after my Christmas holidays.
That all changed New Year’s Day when I got engaged and knew planning a wedding was in my near future.
Then, it changed further a couple months later when I quit my job to try to pursue writing more seriously.
The two biggest milestones of 2015 weren’t even a thought in my mind on New Year’s Eve when you are supposed to make and state your Resolutions.
According to TIME, the top 10 New Year’s Resolutions are;
· Lose Weight and Get Fit
· Quit Smoking
· Learn Something New
· Eat Healthier and Diet
· Get Out of Debt and Save Money
· Spend More Time with Family
· Travel to New Places
· Be Less Stressed
· Volunteer
· Drink Less
To me, these sound like standard goals, and pretty common life dreams. These are things you should strive for every day, of every year. It’s not like this year you would like to be less stressed, but 5 years from now your hoping for the stress!
Instead, we should decide where we would like to be in a year, roughly, I mean.
Do you want to be a better wife, husband, daughter, mother, or friend?
Is there a current hobby you have that you would like to improve on?
Is there a new part time course you would like to take and pass?
For me, I would like to be a better writer. The only way I know to improve that, is by writing more. Let’s say I commit to writing two personal blogs a month. So, by the end of 2016, I need to write 24 personal blogs, that does not include any of my freelance writing articles, blogs, reviews, etc.
Next, you need to tell people. This validates it and makes it more real. It holds you accountable and allows people to follow up and ask you about it, so I’m telling all of you!
Lastly, you need to make milestones. When will you have accomplished what? A lot can happen in a year, so you need to break it down. I said I would like to write two personal blogs a month. This allows me to check back in at the end of every month to ensure I have accomplished every milestone.
Ensure it’s personal to you and your life. If it’s too generic, like ‘lose weight’ how will you ever accomplish this?
How much weight do you want to lose? How are you going to lose it and who knows about this goal to keep you motivated?
What’s your POA (plan of action)? And, by the way, buying a gym membership is NOT a plan. You need to have steps along the way that will hold you accountable. What are you going to accomplish day 1? Day 5? Day 25? And so on….
How will you know when you’ve reached your goal? How much weight do you want to lose?
The important thing here is to remember the past is in the past. We can try and plan for the future, but today, all we have is the present. Let’s focus on that, prepare for the future, and forget about the past. We can’t change the past but our actions today can alter our future.
I would like to end my first blog of 2016 by sharing a quote with you I read this morning;
“Never look back. If Cinderella went back to pick up her shoe, she wouldn’t have become a princess”
Happy New Year’s everyone!
I hope 2016 is full of health, happiness, and laughter.
BAM