Make Your New Year’s Resolution a Reality

2020. A year that none of us could have imagined. I can’t even begin to figure out how to process 2020. Much less my feelings. I think it will be sometime before I can lower my defense walls to allow that to happen. The sheer loss alone is unimaginable. We all have suffered such emotional loss in 2020. And yet, we move forward as we always have during a crisis.

Let us all welcome 2021. Of all the years to not have achieved your New Year’s resolution, 2020 was the year. I think just making it to the end and still be sane is a resolution in and of itself. I don’t know about you, but every time I thought it couldn’t get worse in 2020 it did. We should all pat ourselves on the back as congratulations for making it through 2020.

2020 is now in the rearview mirror and there is hope on the horizon for a better 2021. Granted that horizon is still a few months away, we can see light at the end of the tunnel. I feel like I can exhale and release a little bit of the massive amount of stress we were all under in 2020. Let’s all do a collective deep breath in and slowly release some of that stress.

Now let’s look to 2021 and think about what you want to accomplish. Start getting fully dressed every day, not just from the waist up. Lose some of that COVID-19 weight, I don’t think I’m alone in that one. Get a new job, switch careers. Just be kinder to yourself. Whatever it is, don’t try to work on several. Think about which one you know you can accomplish and will bring you joy. The secret to success is only working on one at a time. When you try to work on too many, you lose motivation and then end up quitting. Use these steps to make your New Year’s resolution a reality.

• Only have one resolution to work on at a time. Many of us make too many resolutions which set us up for failure. Take your list, if you have one, and prioritize it. This allows you to pick the one resolution you want to work on. Depending on the goal and the timeline, you might be able to do a second resolution from your list later in the year. The main point, work on only one resolution at a time. This allows for maximum success.
• Make the resolution specific. For example: “I’m going to lose weight this year.” Is that specific? No. It’s a very vague goal without much hope of becoming reality. A better, more specific way to define that goal is: “I’m going to lose 10 lbs. by April 1^st of this year.” That is a very specific goal. The amount of weight is defined as well as a timeline. To define it, even more, would be: “I’m going to lose 10 lbs. by April 1^st of this year by going to the gym 3 days a week.” The more specific you can make your goal the better your chances of making it happen.
• Break that goal down into small manageable steps. “I’m going to lose 2 lbs. per month with exercising 3 days a week and cutting out 1 sugary drink per day.” You now have a roadmap of how you’re going to lose the 10 lbs. by April 1^st. By breaking the goal down, you reduce the possibility of feeling overwhelmed, which can stop you from reaching your goal. Break it down by months, weeks, or days depending on the
• Have someone help you stay accountable. Be it a friend, family member, co-worker. We all have days when we don’t want to do something. Having that person you can reach out to, helps you push through those days, and reach your goal.
• You will have times when you fall off the “wagon”. That’s just fine. Don’t let that stop you. Acknowledge that you did and then pick back up where you left off. Don’t let that one time keep you from reaching your goal.

Having only one resolution at a time, making it specific, breaking it down into manageable steps, and having someone help you stay accountable will help you turn your New Year’s resolution into reality.

If you would like help in making your resolution a reality, please reach out to learn more about my group coaching program set in a safe and confidential virtual setting with monthly 2 hour sessions over a 6 month period with 1-2-1 coaching occurring in the group setting and peer to peer support and accountability during the sessions and in-between sessions. Next group starting in late January. Space is limited.