5 – Challenges people face when keeping New Year’s Resolution

It’s the time of year when evaluate the past year, reflect on our journey and set goals for the coming year to make it the best year yet. But, you may have done this in the past and forgotten about your resolutions to change before the end of the January. This year can be different with if you follow these 5 tips to handle the challenges you will face.

Challenge #1 – Not having a support system

One mistake is not having a support system to keep you accountable as you work toward your goals. Start the year working with someone or group who have similar goals as you do and find a routine where you can regularly to challenge each other, celebrate victories and push each other to success.

Often we do not fail at our resolutions because we do not want to succeed, but rather because we have blind spots in our vision that others will more clearly see and help us to handle when they arise.

• Schedule regular meetings with someone who will give you a straight answer and let you off the hook if you fall behind on the goals you set.
• Find the system that works best for you, it may be a group, an online community, a spouse or a trusted friend. Working toward a goal together is easier than working alone.

Challenge #2 – Not clearly defining goals

Set smart and realistic goals. Write down your goals in a way that will communicate why it is important for you to reach your goals and put them somewhere you will see them every day. Make sure that they are SMART goals.

Specific – Make sure your goal is not a vague “Eat better”. Clearly, define how you want to eat better, what type of foods you want to consume, how much water you want to drink, etc.

Measurable – Whatever goal you set needs to be a measurable whether it means to weigh a specific amount, exercise a specific amount of time, or drink a certain amount of water, it needs to be easily measured.

Attainable – Write goals that are realistic. If you set an unrealistic goal you will only end up frustrated. Be sure to set a goal and not a wish. While it is great to shoot for the stars, “I want to make a million dollars.” A more attainable goal might be, “I want to pay off my credit cards debt.”

Relevant – Be sure that the goal is relevant to your lifestyle. Is it possible to “Exercise for 3 hours a day”, When you are a mother, have a family and a full-time job? A more realistic goal is to “Exercise for 30 minutes 3-5 times a day”.

Time-Bound – Having a deadline gives you a sense of urgency to inspire action. Break your larger goal into smaller goals that can be measured. To say “I want to lose50 lbs by the end of 2017,” may be possible but breaking it up into a monthly goal will make it easier to track achievements and work toward the greater goal.

Challenge #3 – Being ready but not prepared

We are often ready to make changes, but being prepared is a key that will carry you through to your goal. Anticipate obstacles that will arise and have a game plan to handle the obstacle when it comes up. For example, if you want to drink less, but every Friday finds you out with friends downing shots, you will need to come up with an alternative activity on Friday. Find a ‘Yes’ for your new ‘No’. If you intend to stop smoking or eating sugar or spend less time on social media, you will want to have a ‘Yes’ activity for your new ‘No’. This is also where your accountability partner or team will help you on a regular basis to ensure you keep up with the change you are making.

Challenge #4 – Some is better than none- don’t give up

There will be setbacks and planning for a way to encourage yourself ahead of time will help you continue on your journey. Be sure to look back at how far you have come from a month ago, 6 months ago or a year ago. It’s better to be on the right path with consistent momentum, no matter how fast, than to be on the wrong path and not moving forward.  

Challenge #5 – Enjoying the journey – celebrate your wins whether big or small

Any change you make toward your goal is still a change for the better. Whether you are achieving a milestone along the way or the bigger goal, make sure you celebrate your success, no matter how small. Find a way to track your success in a way that works for you. Use a thermometer, symbols, vision board or whatever will make it easier to see how far you have come and motivate you to more progress.

Voltaire is credited with saying, “Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of good.” Instead of striving for perfection, purposely set goals for moving forward with positive changes rather than doing nothing at all.