Setting sustainable resolutions for 2021
Resolutions are about making positive, lasting changes in your life. But just like goal setting in general, often we get caught up in the big idea with no plan on how we’re going to execute it. It’s that lack of plan that leads to close to half people who set resolutions, failing to follow through once the year really gets rolling.
Is your resolution realistic? How are you going to accomplish it? What does success look like? These are all important questions to ask yourself as you map out a plan for 2021.
Goal setting is an important part of life. It can increase our motivation, improve our health and make us a better community member. It can also help us through illness recovery, both physical or mental.
With studies indicating close to 70 per cent of Canadians set resolutions, here are several suggestions on how to make your resolutions sustainable and successful for the year ahead!
One big goal with small objectives. Start with your big resolution. Say you want to lose weight. That’s great! Now we need a plan for how you’re going to do that. Committing to five-days-a-week at the gym when you’ve never worked out before, is likely setting yourself up for failure. Instead, parcel it out into smaller segments. Objective: walk 10,000 steps a day. Objective: switch to sugar-free vanilla in my latte. Objective: start with one workout a week and build frequency from there.
Consider self-care. Many of our resolutions focus on big physical goals. Let’s consider a mental wellness goal for 2021, like taking more time for self-care. That could mean different things to different people. From spending time with family, to more home-cooked meals, to exploring meditation...the list goes on.
It’s okay to fail. It’s easy to hit one snag in your plan and then everything goes off the rails. But life happens and we can’t control everything. It’s how you deal with the situation that will allow you to find your way forward to success. Missed a workout? Acknowledge it. Feel it. And move on with a plan for the next one. Not getting the sleep you had promised yourself? Step back, look at the causes and work on new solutions.
Share! Hold yourself accountable to your resolutions by sharing them with friends and family. Start a blog and track your progress. Provide regular updates to your supporters. The more you allow people to support you, the more success you’ll have.
Whatever your resolutions for the year, allow it to be a positive experience for you and your family as you take steps to find success and energy in the year ahead.
Share with us in the comments below - what are your New Year’s resolutions?