This morning I was watching the news, and they were talking about how today (January 17th) is considered "D-Day" for your New Year's Resolutions. In other word, today is the day that most people jump ship on their new goals and settle back into their old behavior.
The news anchors went on to talk about some things that can be done to stop this from happening, for instance, telling friends and family about your goals, having a clear plan, making your goals be realistic, and being easy on yourself when you slip. I agree that all those things can help, but one thing that I didn't hear them talk about is something that actually helps me stick with my goals.
I love starting a new year and making resolutions because I am a very goal oriented person in general, but that doesn't mean I only set goals on Jan. 1. I've figured out how to stick with the goals I set, no matter when I set them, and one of the biggest things I do to succeed is remember the WHY.
Here's an example of what I mean: when you're wanting to lose weight, and you're sick of dieting or going to the gym, ask yourself why you're eating less and why you're killing yourself on the treadmill. Ask, "Why do I want to lose weight?" Then list all the reasons why you created the resolution in the first place. For me, seeing the reasons on paper helps trigger the original motivation in my brain, and it helps me to keep going.
This year, I'm asking myself:
- Why do I want to write every day?
- Why do I want to improve my physical health?
- Why do I want to make time to read every day?
- Why do I want to start telling people "no" more often?
Sometimes we get stuck in a rut just going through the motions of our goals, and when we focus on the actions we are taking and forget the big WHY, it's easy to just dump the whole thing and give up. Remembering why always helps keep me on track.
Do you have any goals for the new year? If so, why are they your goals?
XoXo
Scarlett
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www.scarlettknight.org
