5 Ways to Maximize Your New Year's Resolution

Every January 1st you take a deep breath in but as you exhale you start to feel a slight heaviness in your chest. You secretly know your new resolution statically won’t last to see February. While you’re not alone, around 80% of America is with you but this doesn’t have to be you. What if 2021 was your year to break that resolution cycle?

These 5 steps are a sure way to turn your goals into habits.

1. Set realistic goals: real goal = real results

We love a big life changing goal. Most of the time we lose sight of reality. You’re probably not going to get incredibly rich and totally ripped in just one year. However, they are nice ideas to spring off of into more real goals.

Break it down into small and achievable steps. Make sure most of the steps are tangible so you can actively track your progress.

2. Schedule: time management means less stress

Time is always one of the biggest excuses to not follow through with something. When starting on a new goal or endeavor, it’s not going to turn on auto-pilot right away.

You could write it in a planner, set an alarm on your phone, or put a post-it note on your desk. Do whatever feels natural for you.

Having an active and up to date calendar will help you stay on track. For example, if your goal is to eat more home cooked meals, maybe plan out what day you will go to the store and what day or days you plan on cooking your meals.

Something as small as organizing your days and what you do in each of them has a great ripple effect towards achieving those resolutions.

3. Habit Stacking: The more it shows up the less you have to think about it

Think of something you almost never have to think about. Perhaps something simple like brushing your teeth daily. You can then stack on your resolution to that habit.

Another example is if your goal is to live a little more pain free in 2021, maybe your way to get there is stretching every morning before brushing your teeth. That way it sticks!

You’ll become more aware if you didn’t stretch in the morning while brushing your teeth and then you can do it right after. It acts as a callisthenic checklist.

4. Self-Acceptance: enjoy the process and love yourself through it

Every new layer of our true self ages like fine wine...with time! So the bigger the goal the longer the journey but constantly set reminders for yourself as to why you started. Those reminders will help you refocus when the excitement fades.

Remember those small tangible goals you set for each resolution in the first tip? REWARD SMALL GOALS. It’s exciting and you’ll start to gain more confidence that this big, scary resolution really isn’t so bad.

5. Share: tell people about your goal AND the journey

Sharing with people is great for so many reasons. First, it will allow you to confide in a support group. It will actually help strengthen your trust and intimacy with that person or group.

Next, it will also allow you to have an accountability system. Friends and family will always return to topics that you have presented. This gives them a chance to check your progress, encourage the journey, support and help through the challenges.

Lastly, it will also keep yourself honest. Sometimes just the thought of knowing someone is going to ask about a goal is enough motivation to keep you on target.

January 1st marks the first of 365 days. That’s 365 opportunities to become a more amazing you!

Don’t forget to Check out our Podcast where Coach CC gets into the details of setting realistic goals and more tips and tricks.