Plan ahead– If you don’t own a calendar, that should be your very first plan of action toward your New Year Resolutions— ESP if you want to stick to those Resolutions. I’m old school and a control freak, so when it comes to my schedule, I don’t want to have to rely on anyone but myself; meaning technology. I’ve been there where my laptop/ phone decided to crash and sure I had things backed up but that didn’t help me at that very point moment with contacts and where I am supposed to be at what time. I write it all down in a calendar/planner. You may ask what if I ever lose it, leave it somewhere. No, no it won’t happen; trust me. It’s my life. I don’t know my day, nor my to do list unless I’m looking at it— FACTS. PLUS, I am a visual with a Type A Personality; therefore, everything must stay together in the most organized way possible.
For me a paperback planner/calendar is to blame on why/how I’m able to achieve everything while prioritizing and sticking to my to do list.
If you have yet to try it, don’t knock it down until you do. I promise you will have an easier time staying on track of your goals, to dos, and in a time efficient way.
Face it, we all need more time in a day but what it comes down to is not planning with the time we are given. Do me a favor, invest in a good calendar if you haven’t. I’ve been using at a glance the last 4+ years and I’ve found this one works best for me. If you haven’t found one that works best for you; check out the one I’ve been using and will continue to use 2020 HERE.
Outline your plan– Now that you have a plan you must outline your plan. This will help you stay realistic, accountable, and achieve those goals! Being realistic will be important with this step or else you may not succeed on what you intend to do, then you begin to fail and maybe even quit at those goals. Keeping in mind you only fail when you don’t try. Begin by writing down what you want to overall achieve, then you begin smaller steps in order to stay on task for the goal. Realize this may take several steps before you get there. Begin with step 1, step 2, step 3 ect. Rather than step 1, step 4, ect. Take your time, the finish line is never ending!
Talk about it– sometimes you just need to hear your own plan out loud or maybe your stuck on what makes the most sense. Don’t be afraid to discuss what your thoughts are along with ambitions. As long as you are ready for someone to shut down what you’re saying… just speaking the truth. This may or may not be a good idea. I’m still learning sometimes it’s better to talk less. The more successful you become and the more you begin reaching your goals; more people will become your enemy’s- welcome to the universe people. Decide you who you want to open up and have a discussion with. This may seem like an obvious one, but I’ve been in this situation a numerous of times. Find those closest people; friends or family, whomever supports you and is a good listener!
Track your progress- Figure out the best way to track your progress being the most valid and using the most reliable resources. This could mean the scale; but make sure you use the same scale every single time AND make sure it’s the same time of the day (preferably as soon as you wake up, on an empty stomach after you go to the bathroom) I’ve found that taking photos and using clothes to measure is the best way to see it for yourself. Ideally, measurements would be fantastic, but could be tricky if you’re on your own. Rule of thumb: don’t base your success on the scale, mostly that’s for your coach’s sake for coming up with your calculations.
Don’t turn obsessive– If you have a passion for health and fitness THAT’S one thing, but don’t start choosing the gym over family events (been there, done it & it’s not cool) Sure, you’ll need to prioritize more which means wake up earlier, go to bed earlier, or don’t get caught up in “busy” work. Those who don’t have a passion for living a healthy life, will speak right about obsession. They don’t know what it takes to live this healthy life we CHOOSE to live. It’s by choice and that’s all you need to explain to them. Stick with your outline of your plan from above and remember to not beat yourself up! Enjoy the process of living a better life through balance!
Reward yourself– if this is FOOD then fine. Some will say you’re not supposed to use food as a reward. And I say— when you live in America, where every corner has a good food stop or the “thing” to do is go out for good food and company— I’m going to save my rewards for food; sorry not sorry. Maybe you think a better option would be a new pair of sneakers or for the extreme side of things — Apple Watch! Whatever you feel is a reward and that’s going to make you remain focused and determined- go for it! You will work hard toward these goals so do not feel guilty about rewarding yourself.
Stick to it– DON’T beat yourself up and just keep going. This is a new year resolution, not just for this year but to begin adding things into your routine, to change the way you live your life, bringing on a better quality to life and a longer duration of health and happiness! This means your New Year Resolution will not be completely reached within 30 days and if it should— make sure you “Stick to it” Knowing what happens if something is reached to quickly; it typically doesn’t stick around for the long haul. Research states it takes about 21 days for a new ritual to become a habit and 6 months for it to become part of you! That’s why setting small goals and rewarding yourself as you go will help you continue with your journey. It won’t happen overnight, so be persistent, patient, and stick to it!
